BRT project: K-P chief minister stands fast on March deadline

Govt to hold investment conference to educate investors about incentives

The provincial chief minister on Tuesday reiterated that the controversial mass transit project being built in the provincial capital will be complete by next March, nearly a year over its original deadline. The Swat motorway will also be built within the stated deadline.

He stated this in a meeting with a delegation of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s (K-P) businessmen under the banner of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Tuesday.

K-P Chief Minister Mahmood Khan explained that earlier, they had proposed that a new set of features and additional work on the Peshawar bus rapid transit (BRT) should be included in the second phase of the project. But thereafter they had decided to include them in the first phase.

Moreover, having it cleared from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) led to some inevitable issues cropping up which consumed some time, causing delays in the project.

But now, everything was okay and the BRT would be ready by the end of March and a fleet of buses will ply on it in April, he stated.

CM Mahmood added that all government functionaries, departments, contractors, and companies associated with the project have been bound to meet the deadline under any and all circumstances and dispelled the impressions created by certain quarters which cast doubt on the project being completed in a timely manner.

“This government will not compromise on the timely completion of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Swat Expressway projects as per the time tag,” he said.

He added that both projects would change the landscape of the province by integrating the entire region and opening K-P for promoting tourism industry, agriculture productivity, improving the infrastructure development for Rashakai Economic zone and opening new vistas of trade and commercial activities in the province.

Mahmood said that he has issued directions that if any negligence causes a delay in either project, the companies and contractors involved would be blacklisted while the responsible government officials would be penalised.

Assuring the timely completion of Swat Expressway, Mahmood said that his government plans to extend the highway from Chakdara to Swat.

Industrialisation

Speaking about his government’s policy for industrialisation and exploiting the unexplored potential of different areas of the province, Mahmood assured that they will set up a one-window operation for the facilitation of investment and industrialisation in the province.

He further promised the businessmen that his government was creating a business and investment-friendly environment in the province.

Moreover, the K-P chief minister stated that they will go the extra mile to attract investors to the province since the law and order situation had improved considerably while unmatched incentives were being offered.

In this regard, he said that his government will hold an investment conference to educate investors about the incentives being offered by the province.

Mahmood hoped that the offering of attractive packages for the Rashakai economic zone would boost the trust of investors.

Additional measures include revitalising the role of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Export Zone Development and Managing Company (K-PEZDMC), full implementation of the industrialisation policy, providing an even field to all investors.

He acknowledged the role of the nascent business community of the province, adding that his government hopes the community would become the backbone of the provincial economy.

“This province, the people including those in the tribal areas, suffered in the wake of the war on terror. But now the security-related issues have been resolved considerably,” he said adding that despite this, they have yet to go from an appropriate environment towards an ideal environment.

But for this, he said it requires joint efforts from the government, the business community and the public.

“Our efforts would yield multi-dimensional benefits in terms of industrialisation, agricultural productivity engaging maximum investors for raising exports and large-scale job creation,” he said, hoping that if achieved, it would go a long way in overcoming the problem of unemployment apart from engaging the youth in sectors such as industry and agriculture.

He also assured reasonable attraction to investors affected by the BRT and other development projects.

Moreover, public sector institutions have also been sensitized to perform their responsibilities.

Trading issues

The business delegation, led by Faiz Muhammad, raised issues regarding the Peshawar Dry Port with the chief minister.

Mahmood assured them that he will visit the port and resolve issues faced by the business community.

Moreover, he assured the utilisation of the 100 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas allotted the province for the rapid boost of industry in the industrial estates of Rashakai, Hattar and others.

The K-P chief minister assured the businessmen of setting up an effective mechanism for the preservation of cultural heritage of Masjid Mohabat Khan and its surrounding area.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2018.