Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi made history on Monday when he officially opened the Gujranwala-Lahore Motorway, creating a crucial connection between the city and the Sialkot-Lahore Motorway (M-11). This 15.2 km two-lane expressway has the potential to completely transform travel by cutting the travel time from Gujranwala to Lahore to just 45 minutes.

With an expected daily traffic volume of 8,500 cars, the expressway would provide smooth and quick transit for thousands of commuters. Speaking during the inauguration event, Mr. Naqvi described plans to construct an overhead bridge to connect it with Chan Da Qilla and develop a commercial district next to the highway.

Mr. Naqvi commended the Frontier Works Organization, the Communication and Works Department, and other stakeholders for their outstanding achievements while acknowledging the excellent construction standards. During his visit, Mr. Naqvi also officially opened the Gujranwala Safe City Project and the Police Service Center, highlighting surveillance’s vital role in maintaining public safety.

While on a tour of the Punjab Police Integrated Command, Control, and Communication Center, Mr. Naqvi saw the advanced CCTV system used to monitor security. Speaking to the employees of Gujranwala Safe City, he emphasized the importance of their cooperation in preventing crime and asked them to keep up their diligence.

IGP Dr. Usman Anwar highlighted the range of resources at the Police Service Center at a briefing, highlighting the government’s dedication to improving law enforcement capabilities.

Several provincial ministers, including Dr. Javed Akram, Amir Mir, Azfar Ali Nasir, and Bilal Afzal, were present at the ceremony, as were representatives from some departments and agencies, including the chief secretary, inspector general of police, and MD Ahsan Younis of the Punjab Safe Cities Authority.