QUETTA: The first meeting convened by Nawab Sanaullah Zehri as chief minister of Balochistan on Thursday approved 10 development projects for the city to be funded through the prime minister’s Rs5 billion special package for Quetta.

The meeting identified water shortage, encroachments and violation of building code as major problems confronting the city.

“It is my priority to make Quetta a clean city and resolve its traffic, water shortage and other problems,” the chief minister said.

He directed officials concerned to ensure that municipal employees regularly performed their duty, the building code was implemented and a drive was launched against encroachments.

Briefing the meeting, Chief Secretary Saifulllah Chattha said that the 10 projects included a parking plaza at Meezan Chowk; a flyover at Gawal Mandi Chowk; underpasses at Brewery Road at Golimar Chowk, Taro Chowk in Pasthunabad, Nawa Kili, the GPO Chowk on Zarghoon Road, Khudai Dad Road and Prince Road; a slaughter house and roundabout widening.

The official said that the biggest problem of Quetta city was water shortage, adding that only 35 per cent of the garbage produced by the city was lifted.

He said that encroachments had destroyed beauty of the city and violation of the building code was another major issue.

He said that development schemes at a cost of Rs 4.86 billion had been completed in Quetta over the past two and half years. The provincial government has allocated Rs1 billion for uplift works in the provincial capital.

Mr Chattha said that the work on Smungli flyover at Koila Phatak and widening of Airport Road was under way. Intercity bus terminal will be shifted from the city to Hazarganji area till January 30.

Chief Minister Zehri sought a report on ways to meet water requirement of the city from Mangi Dam and Pat Feeder Canal and asked officials concerned to prepare PC-1 of Burj Aziz Dam. He also issued directives about making dysfunctional water purification plants operative. The members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) from Quetta presented proposals about beautification and development of the city.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2016