Pakistan’s most advanced road completed in Lahore, produces electricity

Authorities in Lahore have completed construction of what they describe as the country’s most advanced urban road, located in central Lahore, officials said on Monday.

Known as Route 47, the 4.5-kilometre thoroughfare runs through Kalma Chowk and links several major arteries of the city, including Ferozepur Road, Gulberg Main Boulevard, Walton Road and the Lahore Ring Road.

The project, which cost an estimated Rs9 billion (around USD 32 million), was carried out by the Punjab Central Business District Development Authority (CBD Punjab).

“This road is the central boulevard of the country’s most modern commercial district,” said CBD Punjab CEO Imran Amin. “It meets international standards and incorporates several smart features.”

The road includes a nearly one-kilometre flyover and is equipped with separate pedestrian and bicycle lanes. Officials said it was designed to prevent water accumulation during rainfall, a frequent issue in Lahore’s monsoon season.

Sidewalks along Route 47 are being fitted with solar panels, which will provide shade and generate up to one megawatt of electricity. “I believe this is Pakistan’s first smart road that will also produce energy,” Amin said.

The route runs through what was once Walton Airport, a 300-acre site now being redeveloped into a high-rise commercial zone. The area is being positioned as Lahore’s Central Business District, part of a wider push towards vertical urban development.

Officials said infrastructure work in the district is now largely complete, including new sewage systems, stormwater management, and the construction of two parking plazas. Rainwater from the area will be channelled through underground systems and directed to an artificial lake, which is also nearing completion.

The government plans to promote the CBD as a hub for both business and information technology in the coming years.