Posts of DG Roads, DG Buildings on the cards

QUETTA:

Chief Minister of Balochistan Jam Kamal has given the go-ahead to create two new posts of director general roads and director general buildings for senior provincial bureaucrats.

"Roads play an important role in economic and social development and this is why the provincial government has been paying special attention to the development of highways and buildings,” he said while presiding over a meeting pertaining to initiating new projects such as construction of highways included in the provincial and federal Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the current financial year.

Officials from the Communication and Works Department (C&W) briefed the CM regarding the on-going development projects.

Further on the meeting was told that a proposed design house is being set up in the Department of Communications for regular designing of roads and building projects for which the services of architects would be sought. “2500 km of road projects were completed in the last financial year and 4,000 km of roads were constructed in the current financial year,” the CM said. "Expansion and reconstruction of Ziarat Road would increase tourism activities while the areas adjoining the Afghan border in Zhob division and the areas adjoining the Iranian border in Makran division would be connected with national highways." The meeting thoroughly discussed the two-lane construction project from Ziarat Road-Ziarat Cross to Bab e Ziarat, while CM Kamal directed the C&W department to prepare a modified PC-1. The extension of Dukki- Chamalang Road and Sibi-Kohlu Highway also came under discussion. while the C&W department briefed the meeting regarding Rakhni, Dalbandin- Chaghi to Ziarat Balanosh Highway, Zhob to Manzaki Road costing Rs3.2 billion."Rs1.5 billion have been allocated for Qamar Din-Multanai Road communication projects of Zhob to Manzki highway," the officials informed the meeting.

The provincial chief executive was apprised about all major, medium and minor highways that total up to 411 road construction projects. Out these, 85 projects have been approved by PDWP whereas their tender process has also been completed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2020.