Yokohama (TDI): On a five‑day official visit to Japan, Punjab’s Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif unveiled plans to modernize Lahore, and other urban centers across Punjab, on the blueprint of Yokohama.
Renowned for cutting‑edge urban planning and environmental excellence, Yokohama offers a template for sustainable, high‑tech growth.
At Yokohama’s Town Hall, CM Maryam and her delegation received briefings on advanced systems encompassing waste management, high‑speed rail, and green infrastructure. She expressed intent to adopt these innovations to elevate cities in Punjab, and make them more sustainable.
A key element of the plan includes environmental infrastructure. The CM toured Japan’s largest wastewater treatment facilities in locations such as Asahi, Kanagawa, Washimaku, and Yodogawa.
The Japanese systems treat up to 1.5 million liters of wastewater daily and convert waste into energy, a model she vowed to replicate in Punjab.
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The scope of the initiative extends beyond waste and water. CM Maryam is also exploring high‑speed train links between Lahore and Islamabad, as well as novel transport systems like chairlifts and air‑cabins.
She said that there is a need to elevate construction quality of roads and buildings in Punjab, to match Japanese standards. Discussions are underway for collaboration between the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) and Yokohama development experts.
The CM announced ambitious projects including the construction of 500,000 affordable homes for low‑income families, deployment of 1,100 electric buses by year’s end, and the launch of “Suthra Punjab,” a sanitation campaign expected to generate 150,000 jobs.
Community welfare models, such as children’s skill‑development centers she observed in Yokohama, are slated for adoption in Punjab as well.
Yokohama officials accepted an invitation extended by CM Maryam to visit Lahore for an exchange of urban development expertise, making city‑to‑city partnership official.
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