The provincial government had approved 36 mega development projects for elimination of pollution, maintenance of the beauty of city, resolution of traffic and other problems for district Peshawar. The completion of the projects would cost billion of rupees.
Nazim, City District Government Peshawar, Haji Ghulam Ali while talking to Business Recorder on Saturday, disclosed this.
He said that for the implementation of the initiatives the provincial government has constituted a high-level committee headed by Provincial Minister for Transport, Akhtar Nawaz Khan. The members of the committee, he said are including District Nazim, Nazims of four towns, government officials, experts of traffic engineering, and members of the provincial and National Assemblies from the district.
"The provincial government had already given node to the projects, which are not less than Eidul Azha gift for the residents of the City," said the City District Nazim and thanked the Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani for his good gesture towards the City. He said that according to the rules, the concerned departments would now have to prepare PC-I of the schemes, which would be followed by initiation of work on it.
In this connection, he said that a house committee comprised of members from the district council would also be constituted to maintain consecutive supervision of the development schemes. "The people of Peshawar would feel difference within a short period of time that they have entered an era of development and progress," Ghulam Ali maintained.
The projects, which would be initiated forthwith, he said, were including ban on the entry of buses coming from Landikotal and Bara of the Khyber Agency into the City. The movement of buses coming from Landikotal would be limited to Karkhano Market, while half of those coming from Bara would be diverted to Ring Road and half to Cantonment Board area. Furthermore, he said buses sans route permits would be completely banned.
He said that City Circular Road would be converted into double carriage road and 15 underpasses and overhead bridges would be constructed between Ring Road Overhead Bridge to Hayatabad.
"The projects would go long way in the resolution of the growing traffic jam problem in the City," the District Nazim maintained.
The bus terminal and truck stand would be shifted outside the Ring Road, for which a site had already been selected and would be acquired in few days. After the shifting of General Bus Stands and Bus Terminal, Vegetable Market, Fruit Market and other whole sake markets would also be shifted out side the city. The steps would resolve up to 30 percent traffic problems of Peshawar City and the problem of traffic jam would be resolved into some extent," the District Nazim added.
Haji Ghulam Ali said that the projects were also including the provision of drinking water from Warsak dam to Peshawar City. The project would cost Rs 1.5 billion. Furthermore, he said that all water leakage pipes would also be replaced. He said that Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani would announce the formal announcement regarding the approval of the projects during his visit to Peshawar City scheduled after Eidul Azha.
He informed that for minimising load on the busy roads Canal Road from G.T. Road up to Warsak Road would also be made double carriage. The construction of the of the road would help like Link Road while CNG buses would also be run on the city roads to minimise the growing environmental pollution in the city.
"Beautiful lights would be installed on both sides of G.T. Road and Ring Road that would also help increase the beauty of Peshawar City," the District Nazim added. Similarly, he said that all areas of the four towns of the district would be supplied gas while the problem of drinking water would also be addressed on emergency basis.
In response to a question regarding the visit of President General Pervez Musharraf to Peshawar, he said that the district government had invited him for visiting the city and would be accorded a historical welcome on his arrival. He said that Nazims and councillors would give traditional warm welcome to the President General Pervez Musharraf.
He was optimistic that during the visit the President would not only initiate measures for the implementation of his already announced Peshawar Package but would also give a new developmental package, regarding which he had already made a pledge with the District Nazim during a meeting in Convention Centre, Islamabad.