Infrastructure costs in NMDs ‘can be cut by Rs5b’

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government can save up to Rs5 billion per year in construction costs in newly merged districts (NMDs) by establishing field testing labs and an effective monitoring system, a recent research study has revealed.

The study, done with help from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), suggests establishing field testing labs at district level and a real-time monitoring system for timely resolution of challenges in building infrastructure.

The findings were shared at a dissemination event held in Peshawar where a report was launched on the provincial government’s Special Emphasis Programme (SEP) ‘The Road to Better Service Delivery in Merged Areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Improving Infrastructure Development.’

“Field testing labs at the district level will offer a costeffective, timesaving and context-specific solution to accelerate development in NMDs whereas the real-time performance management system will help identify and resolve administrative and technical challenges immediately,” said Raluca Eddon, programme manager, UNDP Pakistan’s Merged Areas Governance Project.

The intervention was piloted in districts Orakzai, Kurram and Khyber in August 2021 as part of the K-P government’s Accelerated Implementation Programme (AIP), designed specifically to augment economic development of MA.

A total of 64 projects were monitored as part of the intervention. The results show a possible saving of more than five billion rupees per annum only if the SEP is applied at the district level.

Elaborating on the significance of SEP, K-P Communication & Works (C&W) Department Chief Engineer Muhammad Uzair said, “The unique and diverse geographical terrain of MA requires an innovative approach towards infrastructure development. The SEP offers an insight to make it quicker and cost-effective.”

He appreciated the K-P C&W department for building durable roads and pathways that improve people’s everyday commute.

Infrastructure development is one of the key sectors the K-P government is focusing through a rather inclusive AIP-II that carries the public’s input and suggestions.