PESHAWAR: Peshawar Development Authority on Sunday informed Local Government Minister Akbar Ayub Khan that the authority would achieve the task of feasibility and planning of Gandhara Valley City in the next five months with all the creative aspects of modern township.

Briefing the minister on progress review meeting of the authority, the PDA officials said that the task of feasibility and planning of Gandhara Valley City was divided into several packages and was being handed over to different consultants, according to a statement.

Expressing satisfaction over the performance of PDA, Akbar Ayub Khan called for timely and standard completion of all schemes.

He said that expansion of PDA’s jurisdiction by the provincial government to the entire Peshawar district spoke volumes about its good performance and growing public confidence.

“The mega task of developing a new township named Gandhara Valley City has also been handed over to PDA. It is five to six times larger than Hayatabad and extends to Nowshera. It is now a real test of the capabilities of PDA heads and creativity of planners,” said the minister.

PDA Director General Amara Khan briefed the minister about the latest progress on all developmental schemes and the issues faced by the section heads and engineers in this regard. Besides Local Government Special Secretary Mohtasim Billah Shah, the meeting was largely attended by the directors of various sections and representatives of relevant federal and provincial officials.

The minister while directing close liaison with planning department and district administration in early approval of PC-I and acquisition of land for completing the missing link of Ring Road from Warsak Road to Nasir Bagh Road, asked the officials to work closely together to expedite the process.

He hoped that the project of Rs16 billion would be completed as soon as possible. He showed dismay on slow pace of work on construction of modern bus terminal adjacent to BRT Chamkani Depot due to delay in approval of PC-1 and acquisition of land.

The minister also directed the officials to expedite work on renovation and expansion of Pir Zakori Bridge on GT road and emphasised on early completion of the last section of Hayatabad Detour Road.

He said that solution to the issue of traffic jams in Peshawar also depended on those schemes so there was no room for further delay in completion of the projects.

Agreeing with the auction of commercial plots, plazas, bus stands and parking areas in Hayatabad and Regi Town, the minister directed the officials to immediately advertise all such sites. It would generate funds and enhance beauty of the city, he added.

He expressed satisfaction over progress on the project of diverting drainage of the localities around the five canals of Peshawar to ensure flow of clear river water in those canals.

Published in Dawn, June 28th, 2021