PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has stressed the need for focusing on infrastructure development of provincial metropolis and ordered immediate action to clear the land and other issues hindering the provision of utilities in Regi Model Town.

Addressing a meeting regarding Transform Peshawar Plan here at Chief Minister’s House, he said that government was determined to make Peshawar a vibrant city with improved quality of life having a modern infrastructure network and service delivery.

Provincial ministers Shahram Tarakai, Ishtiaq Urmar, Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Hisham Inamullah, Liaquat Khattak and advisers to chief minister Ziaullah Bangash, Kamran Bangash and MPA Arbab Jehandad besides relevant officials attended the meeting.

Mahmood Khan chairs meeting to discuss Transform Peshawar Plan

The meeting was briefed about the Transform Peshawar Plan, focusing key sectors including infrastructure development, traffic management, beautification, service delivery, recreation and sports, sanitation and drinking water, utilities and improvement of health and education facilities.

The meeting was told that short term, midterm and long term strategy was adopted to implement the plan. As a first step of the plan, an integrated rolling plan is proposed that will be refined and expanded with the feedback of experts.

The meeting was briefed in length regarding new and ongoing ADP schemes along with allocation for current financial year and expenditures made so far in different sectors.

The meeting was informed that development of surrounding areas of Ring Road from Pajagai Road to Warsak Road was being carried out under the ongoing schemes, costing Rs500 million out of which Rs60 million was allocated in the current Annual Development Programme.

Similarly, under the ongoing schemes of ADP, work on improvement and widening of road from Mufti Mehmood Flyover to old Budhni bridge up to Wahid Garhi is in progress. The total cost of scheme is Rs1,120 million out of which Rs100 million has been allocated in the current ADP while Rs847 million has already been spent on the scheme.

A multi-storey parking plaza at Chowk Yadgar, costing Rs600 million and construction of parking plaza at Namak Mandi at an estimated cost of Rs800 million have also been included as new schemes in the ADP.

The chief minister said that Peshawar was divided into six zones under the traffic management plan.

However, he said that enforcement of traffic laws and awareness were essential in terms of public safety and traffic management in the city along. “A focused approach towards key priorities would deliver rapid improvement,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 17th, 2019