PESHAWAR, Jan 8: The NWFP government has approved 36 development projects to solve problems caused by an increasing number of vehicles and growing environmental pollution in Peshawar city. This was stated by Peshawar District Nazim Haji Ghulam Ali while talking to APP here on Sunday.

Mr Ali said NWFP Chief Minister Akram Durrani was taking special interest in development of the provincial metropolis and had promised to allocate maximum funds for making Peshawar a model district in the country.

About the development packages, he said, they consisted of some long- and short-term projects.

The projects, he said, were proposed by a committee comprising Provincial Minister for Transport Akhtar Nawaz Khan, the district nazim and officials of different departments.

The projects included the shifting of routes of different passenger buses to reduce traffic congestion in the city, the nazim said.

He said buses coming from Landi Kotal would be restricted from entering the city and allowed to ply up to Karkhano markets only.

Similarly, half of the buses coming from Bara would be diverted to the ring road to avoid their entry into the city. The remaining buses would be allowed to ply on the old route, he said.

The provincial government had decided to ban those buses and wagons which were plying without route permits, he said, adding that such vehicles would be impounded.

He said the chief minister had also approved running of 50 to 55 CNG buses in the city on route number two.

The district nazim said the provincial government had also approved shifting of bus stands, vegetable markets and wholesale markets outside the city.

Similarly, City Circular Road would be made dual carriageway and encroachment along it would be removed.

He said the provincial government had approved construction of 15 flyovers and under-passes from GT Road to Hayatabad through Khyber Road.

The University Road would be widened and cleared of encroachments, he added.

He expressed the hope that the departments concerned would soon prepare PCs-1 of the projects and work would soon start on them. —-APP