PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Thursday approved a plan for the improvement of Peshawar’s infrastructure and restoration of the city’s ‘old charm’.

The ‘New Peshawar Old Charm’ initiative was approved during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan at the Chief Minister’s House, where finance minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, chief secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, principal secretary to chief minister Shahab Ali Shah and other officials were also in attendance.

A statement issued here said the plan had an emphasis on the implementation of the efficient regulations by the Peshawar Development Authority, municipal authorities and district administration.

The chief minister directed the officials to replicate the plan in divisional headquarters and major cities of the province after its successful implementation in the provincial capital.

CM Mahmood orders its implementation without delay

The meeting was briefed in details about the plan prepared to restore the old charm of Peshawar by focusing on the improvement of regulatory regime.

The meeting was told that illegal advertisement, billboards, debris of building materials, temporary encroachments, banners, streamers, flags, redundant poles, iron structures, rusted vehicles, broken and missing curb stones and dysfunctional streetlights are the major issues identified in the city.

Also, the missing lane cat eyes, traffic congestion points requiring minor re-engineering, unattended public parks, open redundant spaces and jumbled up wires of various utilities were identified as major issues giving bad look to the provincial capital.

The meeting was briefed that the plan envisages value addition in the city outlook by addressing the issues through the 7 Rs Strategy including remove, repair, realign, renovate, restore and revive which will ultimately relax the environment of Peshawar.

It said the plan would be implemented phase wise for which major arteries of Peshawar including University Road, Ring Road, Khyber Road, GT Road, Circular Road, Dalazak Road, Nasir Bagh Road, Charsadda Road and Kohat Road had been proposed.

The construction of slip roads on congestion points on University Road and restoration of qehwa khanas, historical places, arts and crafts shops along with installation of heritage plaques and photo points have also been proposed.

The meeting was told that the plan is focused on effective regulation by the TMA, PDA and district administration with little financial implications.

However, minor funding for the construction of slip road, repairing and rehabilitation of footpaths, renovation of city entrance and bridges will be required which can be incurred from Peshawar uplift programme already reflected in the 2019-20 ADP.

Mr Mahmood appreciated the proposed plan and directed its implementation without delay.

He said those small measures could bring major difference and change the outlook of the provincial capital.

The chief minister said improvement in the regulatory regime by the government departments concerned could easily give a pleasant outlook to the city and that in the first phase, the existing infrastructure should be put in order.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2020