Khattak approves plans for Nowshera Education City, Peshawar Model Town

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Monday formally approved master plans of Nowshera Motorway (Mega Education) City and Peshawar Model Town (Mega Sports City) in Peshawar and Nowshera, respectively.

According to a handout issued by the press secretary of K-P CM, on Monday a meeting was held with Khattak in chair at the CM Secretariat, Peshawar to review the master plans, which were approved after recommendations.

The approved schemes are said to cost Rs80 billion and Rs60 billion, respectively.

Both projects are being launched under public-private partnership and will be advertised for local and foreign investment soon after finalisation of its PC-Is in the next few months.

A high level team of Chinese investors group in housing sector had met the K-P chief minister weeks ago, offering investment of $1 billion for these projects.

Briefing the participants about the mega housing projects, Secretary Housing Engineer Zahid Arif said that 80,000 kanal of land had been allocated for Nowshera Motorway City near Kernal Sher Khan Interchange on Motorway M-1, while section-IV has been imposed for the acquisition of the land.

He said about 30% of the total area of the scheme will be specified for educational institutions, including universities where state-of-the-art education centres for education and research will be established.

Regarding the Peshawar Model Town (Mega Sport City Peshawar), he said the scheme would be spread over 14,000 acres between Peshawar and Nowshera.

Arif added that the scheme will be set up with an estimated cost of Rs80 billion and will be four times bigger than Hayatabad Township in size. Thus, it would cater to residential needs of more than 0.6 million people.

Khattak, during the meeting, said although both the mega projects would be big cities with all housing facilities and availability of basic amenities on scientific lines, they were being launched with the sole aim to promote education, as well as sports according to the vision of the PTI-led coalition government.

The CM directed for an early completion of the PC-I of both projects and to start the practical work by the end of January 2015.

He that in future all departments should complete their projects per the deadline.

Besides, Khattak also allocated land for the provincial assembly secretariat and MPA’s Hostel in Peshawar Model Town, and that the proposed Media Enclave and Press Club in consultations with journalists would be included in the same town.