Lahore: The Punjab government has launched the landmark Green Railway Corridor project under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision of a greener and smog-free Punjab, with plans to transform neglected railway land into parks and recreational spaces along railway tracks.
According to a handout, the project, comprising four phases, envisages the development of 32 parks on abandoned railway land previously affected by waste dumping and encroachments. In the first phase, around 20 acres of land from Shahdara to Raiwind had been converted into landscaped greenbelts, gardens and public recreational areas. As many as 21 parks had already been developed along the railway corridor, providing leisure facilities to residents while contributing to environmental improvement.
The initiative reflects the chief minister’s vision of developing green public spaces alongside railway tracks on the pattern of developed countries. It also forms part of the Punjab government’s broader strategy to make the province greener and more beautiful while expanding access to parks and recreational facilities for children, women and families.
Spanning approximately 45 kilometres, the Green Railway Corridor project was being executed at a cost of more than Rs1. 77 billion. The scheme had been divided into four packages and was being implemented jointly by the Punjab Horticulture Authority (PHA) and Pakistan Railways.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif directed the authorities concerned to remove hurdles delaying the remaining phases of the project and accelerate its implementation to ensure timely completion. Citizens welcomed the initiative and appreciated the chief minister for converting neglected, garbage-strewn railway land into attractive public parks. Residents said the project had provided much-needed recreational spaces for families and children, while an elderly visitor remarked that it was difficult to believe such a transformation had become possible in Pakistan.