Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday ordered the installation of safety nets beneath manhole covers across the province as part of a wider initiative to improve urban safety and infrastructure standards.
Chairing a review meeting on ongoing development projects, the chief minister directed authorities to install polyester-strip safety nets inside manholes, gutters, and drainage systems to prevent accidents. Officials informed the meeting that a pilot project had already been launched in Gujranwala, where safety nets would be installed on around 30,000 manholes.
The meeting, attended by divisional commissioners via video link, also reviewed progress on road rehabilitation, beautification, and urban development schemes across multiple divisions.
CM Punjab directed officials to prioritise road projects and ensure uniform design standards, including standardised signboards and consistent road aesthetics across the province. She also instructed authorities to introduce uniform colours for shopfronts and shutters along major roads to improve visual harmony in urban areas.
Additional directives included the installation of wall-mounted planters in narrow bazaars and markets, while Taxila’s main bazaar was approved for conversion into a heritage street.
According to officials, 31 development schemes covering roads, parks, commercial areas, flower markets, and a zoo are nearing completion in Gujranwala division. The plan also includes tuff tile laying on major roads, installation of traffic signals at nine busy intersections, and new streetlights on key roads including Nowshera Road and Eminabad Road.
The chief minister also approved several infrastructure projects across Punjab, including road links in Wazirabad, Kamoke, and other districts, alongside park restorations, canal-side jogging tracks, and upgraded public facilities.
In Rawalpindi division, she directed completion of beautification projects within three months and ordered the closure of open drains in parts of Gujar Khan. Multiple road construction and rehabilitation schemes were also approved for Kotli Sattian, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, and other areas.
The initiatives form part of a broader provincial push to enhance urban infrastructure, improve public safety, and modernise city planning across Punjab.
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