PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will chalk out feasibility plan for renovation, cleanliness and restoration of historical sites in old city of Peshawar including Qissa Khawani Bazaar.

According to a statement, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed Peshawar commissioner to formulate comprehensive feasibility plan in this regard. The chief minister chaired a meeting here on Sunday to review progress on ongoing development projects in Peshawar.

The meeting took a detailed review of various development projects including construction of new bus terminal, New Peshawar City, Regi Model Town, Peshawar revival plan and construction of remaining portion of Ring Road.

CM reviews progress on various development schemes

The meeting was informed that besides other initiatives to resolve traffic issues in Peshawar city, the general bus stand was being shifted out of the city. It was told that work on construction of new bus terminal on Northern Bypass was initiated while ground breaking of the project would be performed very soon.

Work has been initiated simultaneously on two packages of the project and it would be completed by October 2023 at a cost of Rs3.5 billion. The meeting was informed that construction of Hazar Khawani Park was completed and the facility would be opened to people soon.

Officials said that that significant progress was made on a mega housing scheme; New Peshawar City. Land acquisition for the scheme under land sharing formula is under way.

The feasibility study, planning and detailed design of the project would be completed by May this year while progress is being made on the recruitment of staff for the project management unit.

The chief minister, on the occasion, directed the authorities concerned to complete the recruitment process for project management unit within a month and strictly comply with the rules and regulations. He said that merit should be ensured in all respects.

About construction of the remaining section of Ring Road from Warsak Road to Nasir Bagh, it was said that the land acquisition process for the project was completed for which provincial government provided Rs2.8 billion. The revised PC-I of the project was sent to ECNEC for final approval. The project would be completed at a cost of Rs14.7 billion.

The meeting also discussed issues related to land disputes in some zones of Regi Model Town. The chief minister directed the officials to take steps to resolve the issue amicably through dialogue.

He also directed the authorities concerned to expedite implementation of Peshawar revival plan and traffic management plan to resolve the traffic issues in the city on a permanent basis. He ordered the quarters concerned to intensify campaign against professional beggars in the city and finalise a strategy to curb the menace of drugs.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2022