Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has given the green light to an innovative initiative — ‘Sahulat-on-the-go bazaars’—which will soon be launched all over the province to provide citizens with easier access to essential goods.
During a meeting held on Thursday, the chief minister reviewed the project’s plan and directed officials to launch a pilot phase at 14 strategic locations in Lahore. These include busy areas such as Multan Road, Hanjarwal, Manga Mandi, Raiwind, G-1 Market, Faisal Town, Moon Market, and Bedian Road. Additional sites identified for the pilot project include E-Millat Road, Gulshan Ravi, Shahdara, Shadman, and Singh Pura.
The vision behind these unique roadside markets is to make daily essentials easily accessible to the public through uniform cottage-top stalls set up along the roads. These bazaars will offer food items and other necessities at controlled prices, making them especially helpful for low- and middle-income families.
In an effort to extend the benefits across Punjab, the project will eventually be expanded to every tehsil in the province. The chief minister has set an ambitious target of four months for launching the pilot phase in Lahore. According to the initial plan, 816 stalls will be established across the selected locations in the city.
Read more: Dolmen Mall opens its biggest mall in Lahore’s DHA phase 6
Importantly, the government is also making decisions to utilize available state land along roadsides to set up these bazaars, thereby ensuring cost-effectiveness and efficient use of public space.
CM Maryam Nawaz looked very satisfied with the successful operation of model bazaars during the month of Ramazan, which provided affordable items to the public during a critical time. Muhammad Afzal Khokhar, Chairman of the Punjab Model Bazaar Management Company, presented a comprehensive report to the chief minister on the current model bazaars and their impact.
This new initiative emphasized by the CM, reflects the government’s dedication to public welfare and convenience, promising both affordability and accessibility to the masses of Punjab.