Lahore: Punjab Auqaf Secretary Dr Ehsan Bhutta has said that providing modern facilities to devotees visiting shrines of saints is the Punjab government’s top priority. He said this while reviewing ongoing development works at the shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajveri, popularly known as Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh on Thursday. He said progress on ongoing development works at shrines was being reviewed regularly every fortnight to ensure timely completion of projects, transparency and quality of construction. Dr Ehsan Bhutta visited Data Darbar, offered Fateha and prayed for the security, stability, peace, prosperity and progress of the country and nation. He inspected various sections of the Data Darbar Complex and reviewed the pace, quality and progress of ongoing construction and development works.
Later, he chaired a meeting on the Data Darbar Mega Project at Hajveri Hall, where he was given a detailed briefing on the ongoing projects, construction phases, completion timelines and other administrative matters.
The Auqaf secretary directed that slab work at the Data Darbar Complex be completed within one month.
He also ordered that the dismantling process at the women’s enclosure and other sites be expedited and directed NESPAK to ensure timely provision of the required drawings.
He said that, in accordance with the directions of Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, the pace of development works should be further accelerated and all projects completed within the stipulated timeframe. However, he stressed that there would be no compromise on construction quality.
Dr Bhutta said Data Darbar was an important spiritual centre for devotees visiting from across the country, adding that providing them with a safe, dignified and comfortable environment was a fundamental responsibility of the Auqaf Department.
He further directed officials to pay special attention to visitor movement, cleanliness, security and available facilities during the development works to ensure that devotees did not face any inconvenience.