K-P mulls extending Swat Motorway up to Chakdara

CM Mahmood hints National Highway Authority may execute the project


Our Correspondent March 11, 2019
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan. PHOTO: PTI

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Sunday proposed to extend the under-construction Swat Motorway from Chakdra to Mingora in order to promote tourism and industry in the region.

In this regard, he directed the relevant quarters to send documents for the expansion of the motorway to the federal government for further processing.

This decision was taken in a meeting held in Peshawar on Sunday with CM Mahmood in the chair. K-P Minister for Communications Akbar Ayub, communications department secretary, Strategic Support Unit chief, Pakhtunkhwa Highways managing director and other key government officers attended the meeting.

During the meeting, Mahmood was briefed in detail about the second extension of Swat Motorway from Chakdara to Mingora — a 41-kilometres-long stretch which will cost an estimated Rs31.88 billion to build. The project will include the acquisition of land for this purpose and construction of the road, including two interchanges, three bridges, 43 culverts and 27 underpasses.

CM Mahmood, who hails from Swat, hinted that the National Highway Authority (NHA) would execute the proposed project.

Meanwhile, the K-P chief minister was briefed about new schemes of the housing department, including the Nishtarabad Commercial Multiplex, City Centre, Hangu Township, Swat Township and others. High-rise apartments being built in Hayatabad and the Jalozai housing scheme were also discussed during the meeting.

CM wants quick completion
of projects


In a separate meeting, CM Mahmood directed the speedy completion of all ongoing projects.

He was presiding over a meeting at CM Secretariat in Peshawar on Sunday. Provincial Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Principal Secretary to CM Shahab Ali Shah, Finance Secretary Shakeel Qadir and other concerned officials attended the meeting.

The meeting discussed and reviewed ongoing projects in the province, including a new block for the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), the Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) Trauma Centre, construction of a cardiology block at the Hatyatabad Medical Centre (HMC) and a new building of the central jail in Peshawar.

Further, different projects of the Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority (PKHA), Construction and Works Department (C&W) and the irrigation department were also discussed.

He particularly directed that buildings in the health sector, which have already been completed, should be utilised for improving the delivery of health services, adding that these buildings will soon be handed over to the relevant department.

CPEC gateway: Swat Expressway to be route to development

Remove drug addicts

Taking serious notice of drug addicts loitering under bridges in the province, the K-P chief minister on Sunday ordered shifting of all such addicts to rehabilitation centres and hospitals.

In this regard, Mahmood on Sunday said that it was the government’s responsibility to provide the necessary healthcare services, food and training to turn such people into productive members of society.

He added that like other segments of the society, drug addicts too require the attention of the government.

In this regard, he disclosed that he had already directed the relevant departments to collect data regarding drug addicts in the province but this process needs to be accelerated.

Meanwhile, the Peshawar District Administration, police and the social welfare departments have conducted operations in various parts of Peshawar and shifted around 300 addicts to different hospitals for treatment.

The move comes a couple of weeks after CM Mahmood inaugurated a drug rehabilitation centre in Faqirabad area of Peshawar where drug addicts would be lodged and rehabilitated.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2019.

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