CM orders renovation of historic sites in old Peshawar city

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has decided to launch a special initiative for the renovation, cleanliness and restoration of historical sites of the old Peshawar city including Qissa Khawani Bazaar

An official handout said that he directed the commissioner Peshawar to formulate a comprehensive and feasible plan for this purpose. He was chairing a meeting to review progress on ongoing development projects in Peshawar.

Chief Secretary Dr. Shehzad Bangash, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, Secretary Local Government Mian Shakeel Ahmed, Commissioner Peshawar Riaz Mehsud and other officials attended the meeting.

The meeting reviewed the pace of work on various mega development projects including construction of new bus terminal, New Peshawar City, Regi Model Town, Peshawar Revival Plan and construction of the remaining portion of Ring Road.

The meeting was informed that the General Bus Stand was being shifted out of the city and for this purpose civil work on construction of a new bus terminal on the Northern Bypass was initiated. The groundbreaking of the project would be performed soon.

The construction of Hazarkhawani Park on the outskirts of Peshawar has been completed and it would be opened to the public soon.

It was informed that progress has been made on a mega housing scheme - New Peshawar City, adding that land was being acquired for the scheme under land-sharing formula.

The feasibility study, planning and design of the project would be completed by May this year while staff was being recruited for the project management unit.

The chief minister directed the officials to complete the recruitment process for the project management unit within a month. He said the staff must be recruited as per the rules and regulations while upholding merit.

About the progress on construction of the remaining section of Ring Road from Warsak Road to Nasir Bagh, it was informed that the land acquisition process for the project had been completed for which the provincial government provided Rs2.8 billion.

The revised PC-1 of the project has been sent to ECNEC for final approval and its approval is expected soon. The project would be completed at a cost of Rs14.7 billion.

The meeting discussed the issues related to land disputes in some zones of Regi Model Town.

The chief minister directed the commissioner Peshawar and other authorities to take steps to resolve the issue amicably.

He directed the authorities to expedite the implementation of Peshawar Revival Plan and Traffic Management Plan to resolve the traffic issues in the city.

He directed the quarters concerned to intensify the campaign against professional beggars in the city and finalize a strategy to curb the drugs mafia.