PESHAWAR, Sep 21:Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood KhanMonday directed the authorities of the Communication and Works (C&W)Department to expedite work on all ongoing mega schemes incommunication sector and assured that the provincial government wouldprovide required resources for the purpose. He particularly stressed upon the expeditious completion of financialand commercial feasibility studies of Swat Motorway phase-II,Peshawar-D.I.Khan Motorway and Dir Motorway so that public could befacilitated through such mega development projects as soon aspossible. Presiding over a high level meeting of Communication and WorksDepartment here in Chief Minister’s House, Mahmood Khan said theprovincial government was committed to boost industrial and tourismactivities in the province for which different Communication schemeshad been initiated. The meeting was attended by Special Assistant to the Chief MinisterRiaz Khan, Principal Secretary to the CM Shahab Ali Shah, and otherhigh officials. The meeting was told that Executive Committee of the NationalEconomic Council (ECNEC) had approved the acquisition of land schemefor Swat Motorway phase-II whereas public private partnership unit hadrecommended the financial and commercial feasibility of project. The meeting was told that consultancy would be awarded next month forcommercial and financial study of Dir Motorway. Similarly, financialand commercial feasibility of Peshawar-D.I.Khan motorway would becompleted by the next month. The meeting was apprised that PC-II of 29-km long road from BabaSarai (Buner) to Katlang interchange had been prepared and would besubmitted to relevant forum for approval. The meeting was informed that under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa IntegratedTourism Development Project (KITE), the work was in progress on 50-kmlong nine different access roads to tourist areas in Malakanddivision. Similarly, construction of five access roads to touristareas in Hazara division was also part of current developmentportfolio whereas construction of 30-KM long approach road to SheikhBadeen Tourist site had reflected in ADP 2020-21. The meeting was told that so far 33 developmental schemes in roadsector had been completed during financial year 2019-20. This time 114schemes were due for completion in road sector and Rs 28522 millionhad been allocated for total 507 schemes in current AnnualDevelopmental Program. Briefing about the progress made so far by Pakhtunkhwa HighwaysAuthority, it was informed that the authority had constructed 170 kmlong new highways and 79 bridges. Similarly, dualization of various roads having the total length of272-KM had also been completed. In the current ADP, Rs. 1824.758million had been allocated for 32 ongoing schemes of PakhtunkhwaHighways Authority and Rs. 215 million had been allocated for six newschemes. Rs. 800 million has been allocated for five schemes underAccelerated Implementation Program of merged areas. The meeting was also briefed about the reforms introduced by thecommunication and works department and told that e-bidding ande-billing system had already been introduced in the department whereaswork on human resource development and restructuring of C&W departmentwas in progress.
KP government unveils plan for multiple motorway projects across the province
