Lahore: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Sunday officially launched five road projects under the Punjab Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority, transferring their management and operations to private entities, with the move anticipated to generate Rs22 billion. The digital inauguration included projects such as the Muridke-Narowal Road and the Faisalabad Ring Road.

According to Directorate General Public Relation – Govt of Punjab, the projects will feature modern electronic toll plazas managed by private contractors, who will also handle maintenance and rehabilitation for seven years. The PPP Authority Vice Chairperson, Marriyum Aurangzeb, briefed the chief minister on both the current projects and the authority’s broader initiatives, which have reduced the processing time from two years to six months.

Additional road projects, such as the Bahawalpur-Yazman and Raiwind-Changa Manga roads, are slated to be transferred to the PPP model. The authority is also advancing initiatives across various sectors, including water and sanitation, tourism, healthcare, and sports.

The chief minister was informed about the empowerment of divisional PPP working parties to approve projects costing up to Rs500 million. Commendations were extended to key officials for their contributions to the PPP program, with Communications Minister Sohaib Ahmed Bharth and other secretaries addressing the occasion.