PESHAWAR, Jan 6: The NWFP University of Engineering and Technology will establish a national institute of urban infrastructure to cope with the problems of water shortage and satiation , solid waste management, urban land usage and transport problem of the province.

According to a press release issued here on Thursday, the project would cost Rs 174 million and be completed over a period of three years. It said that the central development working party (CDWP) approved the project in a meeting held under the chairmanship of the deputy chairman of planning commission, Dr Akram Sheikh and was attended by chairman of Higher Education Commission, Dr Attaur Rehman and the UET's vice-chancellor Syed Imtiaz Hussain Gilani.

The project would focus on the problem of urban decay in Pakistan, especially in Peshawar. The meeting, it said, urged the participants to devise strategy for the implementation of the project to cope with the deteriorating situation of town planning and growing demand of urbanisation in Peshawar.

In the first stage, it said that a centre of excellence for research and training would be established to undertake research work regarding the prevalent problems. It added that the UET's postgraduates students would be imparted training opportunities to enhance their capacity of dealing with the problems.

The centre, would also provide training opportunities to practising urban planners and engineers to enhance their skills, while in the second stage, experts in the specialised areas would design solutions for a healthy, sustainable and safe urban system of the city.