Jogging tracks, parks, cafés planned along Lahore’s railway tracks

Lahore is set to get its first-ever green corridor along railway tracks, a project jointly launched by the Punjab government and Pakistan Railways to combat smog, improve air quality, and transform the city’s urban landscape.

According to details, the PKR 2.53 billion Lahore Green Corridor Project will convert nearly 700 kanals of railway land into greenbelts, recreational areas, and cultural spaces. Stretching 40 kilometres from Shahdara in the north to Raiwind in the south, the corridor will be the first initiative of its kind along a railway track in South Asia and is expected to be completed within a year.

Facilities planned along the corridor include jogging and cycling tracks, walkways, open-air gyms, badminton and volleyball courts, children’s play areas, gazebos, benches, and water features. food carts, tuck shops, and evenrepurposed passenger coaches converted into cafés and digital libraries will also be part of the scheme.

Read: Railways to turn historic stations into family-friendly tourist destinations

Pakistan Railways Director Babar Raza said the Railways would provide land, while the Punjab government would finance and execute the development. “If successful, similar projects could be launched in Karachi, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Quetta, and Multan,” he added.

The project will be completed in four phases — Shahdara to Lahore Railway Station, Railway Station to Walton, Walton to Kot Lakhpat, and Kot Lakhpat to Raiwind.

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) will undertake the development after formal approval from the Punjab government. PHA spokesperson Nabeel Ali said the authority would create 33 greenbelts and ensure the corridor offered a pleasant environment for both passengers and visitors.

The Punjab Housing Department has already submitted the project’s PC-1 to the Planning and Development Department, with funds expected through a supplementary grant approved by the chief minister.