PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Tuesday expressed dissatisfaction over the progress of work on the projects under Peshawar Revival Plan.

He directed all relevant departments and entities to accelerate pace of work, saying no compromise would be made on the timely completion of the projects, according to a statement issued here.

The chief minister directed Peshawar commissioner to work as focal person and monitor all the activities being carried out under the plan. He asked the commissioner to report to him after every 15 days about the progress made on Peshawar Revival Plan to meet timelines of the projects.

He said that all relevant agencies would have to show visible progress to complete their respective tasks within the timelines. He added that all the government departments were required to perform extraordinary to come up to the expectations of people.

The chief minister said that realistic approach should be adopted while giving briefing on the status of development projects and ground realities should be presented in the meetings.

He was chairing a meeting regarding Peshawar Revival Plan. Focal Person to Chief Minister for Peshawar Revival Plan MPA Asif Khan, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, administrative secretaries of departments concerned and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

The participants of the meeting were informed that under the plan, work was underway in seven different sectors including eradication of encroachments, beautification, plantation and flow of vehicular traffic etc.

The meeting was told that 203-kanal government land had been retrieved so far in the operation against encroachments whereas graffiti from 28-kilometre long different walls had also been removed.

Similarly, more than 750 illegal sheds were removed. The meeting was told that 23 operations were carried out in Karkhano Market. During the operations, 62-kanal state land was retrieved and more than 1,900 encroachments were removed including 550 shops, 750 cabins and 603 hand carts.

The participants of the meeting were informed that work was in progress on green belt from Motorway Toll Plaza to Pir Zakori Flyover whereas work on face-lifting of shops and removing of kachi abadi was completed.

The meeting was told that fixing of lights on electric polls on Ring Road was also in progress. During the current year, more than 150000 saplings were planted so far in the different areas of Peshawar. The PC-I of various projects under cities improvement project has also been sent to CDWP for final approval.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2021