FDA to prepare 20-year master plan for Faisalabad

Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) will prepare a 20 years master plan for the scientific, systematic, planned and well integrated development of Faisalabad city. The new master plan will also include five years strategic plan, Sheikh Ejaz Ahmad, Chairman FDA, disclosed.
Addressing an event in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here on Wednesday, he said that all stakeholders are being consulted to make this document of master plan more comprehensive in addition to synchronising it with the future needs of this mega city. He expressed satisfaction over the keen interest taken by FCCI members in the study of master plan and said that he was ready to change the TOR (Terms of Reference) of this plan if needed. He said that FDA has been mandated to prepare the master plan of Faisalabad and he has entrusted this job to a well established engineering company. He said that he wanted to start work on different development projects from where the former commissioner Tasneem Noorani left uncompleted.
Commenting on the problems of Faisalabad, he said that population explosion coupled with migrations towards urban centers is the main cause of its problems. He said that it is very difficult job to ensure all basic civil amenities to 5 million population of the city. However in this connection, the new master plan will play a key role. He told that there was dearth of specialised institutions and in order to fulfil the needs in such absence, he has appointed a full time director general of FDA. Similarly, various authorities and institutions to deal with food, education, health, solid waste management and parks have been created. He told that FDA is initially started work on two major parking plaza to share burden of the downtown area. However, he stressed the need that FCCI should also contribute in the preparation of master plan. Responding to a question, he said that Faisalabad is a privileged city in which motorways cross through its three tehsils. Similarly, road links have also been provided to the Lahore-Karachi motorway from Jaranwala and Samundri. This connectivity will further gear up the pace of progress in the region.
Responding to a question about FDA city, he offered that he was ready to provide sufficient space for the factory outlets which will help in early colonisation of this mega housing project. He said that a separate water supply line is also being laid to provide potable water to FDA city with an estimated cost of Rs 250 millions. He told that soon he will ink a MoU to provide electricity to FDA city. Similarly, plans are underway to establish a university in it. "Space has already been earmarked for the new campus of DPS School", he said and added that renowned educational institutes are also being taken into this education loop.
He disclosed that on the demand of president FCCI he has withdrawn the condition of NOC from the excise and taxation department for the transfer of plots in FDA colonies. He said that other NOCs are being demanded to safeguard the interests of the buyers and for this purpose one window facility has also been set-up.
He said that Punjab government has appointed him as chairman of newly created Punjab Road Safety Authority and we are working to replace the existing worn out procedure for the issuance of driving licenses and motor vehicle examination. He also explained the safe city project and told that CCTV cameras would be installed on all important roads including entry and exist points of Faisalabad positively before December this year. He further disclosed that the facilitators of Lahore bomb blast were held within 24 hours only with the help of these CCTV cameras. He hoped that safe city project will bring a qualitative improvement in the existing law and order situation in the city.
Responding to yet another question, he said that remodelling of road from D-ground up to Fawara Chowk will be undertaken to develop it on the pattern of Madina Town Main Boulevard. He told that Pahariwali ground will also be developed where a library will also be erected. He asked the DG FDA to allocate funds for the construction of service road along Canal Express Way from Kashmir Bridge to Gatwala Chowk.
Earlier, Engineer Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, President FCCI, presented welcome address while Chaudhary Muhammad Asghar conducted a prayer for the departed souls of martyrs of recent incident of terrorism in the country.
Later, Engineer Muhammad Saeed Sheikh along with Mian Javed Iqbal presented an honorary shield of FCCI to Sheikh Ejaz Ahmad. Question-answer session was also held in which Vice President Engineer Ahmed Hasan, Chaudhary Muhammad Nawaz, Chaudhary Muhammad Boota, Shahid Bajwa, Afzal Ahmed, Muhammad Saleem and Abid Masood raised interesting questions while a presentation on Master Plan was also screened.