Quetta to be turned into safe, smart city: Kamal

CM says govt has started projects worth Rs20b in provincial capital

QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Jam Kamal on Tuesday said his government has started development projects worth Rs20 billion in the provincial capital in order to turn Quetta into a safe and smart city.

“A cable is being laid for installation of CCTV cameras in Quetta. The current government has vowed to turn Quetta into a safe city in the first phase and a smart city in the 2nd phase,” the CM said on Tuesday, while talking to journalists.

The CM was visiting Sabzal road in order to review the ongoing road expansion project. He also reviewed progress on Spini-Samungli link road. Minister for Communication and Works Arif Jan Hassani and Senator Manzoor Khan Kakar accompanied the CM.

Sabzal road expansion project is the biggest development scheme in Quetta that would link Samungli road with Sariyab Road from Sur-Pul to University of Balochistan.

Talking with reference to the project, Kamal said the government would not tolerate any negligence in the execution of the development schemes in Quetta. “The current government has accelerated work on Quetta beautification project,” he said.

Lamenting over “non-seriousness” of the previous governments, the chief minister said flawed policies of his predecessors retarded development of the province.

He said road expansion projects in Quetta were halted due to winter but as spring is setting in the provincial government has resumed development projects in the capital.

Kamal said three kilometer patch has been built in Sabzal road expansion project. He announced that Sariyab Road expansion project would be commenced in the coming months.

“The current government has plans to widen Prince Road, Patel Road and Qumbrani Road,” he said.

“Along with road expansion projects, the provincial government has been working on development schemes in order to develop streets and downtown Quetta.”

During the visit, officials informed the chief minister that the road is turned into a three-lane highway from Sur-Pul to University of Balochistan. The project would cost Rs1,660 million.

“The project would be complete by September 2020,” a C&W official told the chief minister.

Kamal directed authorities to expedite progress on development schemes in Quetta. “All hurdles should be removed on immediate basis in order to provide relief to the citizen,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 5^th, 2020.