K & P

Another deadline: Bab-e-Peshawar flyover to be completed in 120 days

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak vows to make Hayatabad a safe part

Our Correspondent June 17, 2015

PHOTO: EXPRESS

PESHAWAR:

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has announced the construction of Bab-e-Peshawar flyover will be completed within 120 days.

The deadline for the mega project was announced during the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday. The event was attended by the chief minister, Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan and other government officials.

The two-level flyover project will be constructed on Hayatabad-Jamrud Road at the cost of Rs1.77 billion. “The provincial government has signed an agreement with National Logistics Cell (NLC), a construction company,” Khattak said. “Under the agreement, the project must be completed within four months.”

He said the provincial government will assign more projects to the state-owned company if it manages to deliver on time.

“The provincial government believes in transparency and that is why we have given the contract to NLC,” read a handout issued by the information directorate the same day.

Securing border areas

During the ceremony, Khattak vowed to guarantee security measures to ensure Hayatabad becomes a safe part of the city.

He ordered the local government minister to install CCTV cameras and provide phase-wise security to residents of Hayatabad over the next six months. “Action will be taken against relevant departments if security is not guaranteed in Hayatabad within six months,” he said.

Moreover, the chief minister urged relevant authorities to install street lights and security cameras in Hayatabad to restore the beauty of township.

Speaking on the occasion, the local government minister, who is affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, a coalition partner of the government, said they would restore Peshawar’s image as the “city of flowers”.

“For the first time in the history of the city, we have introduced a mechanical sweeping system,” he said. “The culture and history of the city will be [preserved].” The minister added a flyover on Charsadda Road would also be completed soon.

Big plans, big bucks

Khattak said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led government has decided to prioritise the Peshawar Uplift Programme (PUP) which was introduced by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.

“Peshawar is our home and we will not compromise the beautification of the provincial capital,” he said.

“The flyover would reduce traffic jams in the area.” The chief minister pledged to complete construction of link roads and begin an air-conditioned bus service in the city after work on the flyover is completed.

He added Rs6 billion has been allocated for PUP under which the city’s routes will be extended, including GT Road. Furthermore, he claimed the PTI-led government will launch more anti-encroachment drives across the province and take action against the illegal occupation of property.

According to the information directorate’s handout, the chief minister said Rs34 billion was being spent on the beautification of the city to restore the city’s lost glory.

Transfer of power

Khattak criticised opposition parties for deceiving the people of the province. “Leaders of the opposition parties have failed to mobilise support in their favour,” he added.

According to the chief minister, the Punjab and Sindh governments have failed to devolve power to the grass-roots level.

“Only the K-P government has allocated a sizeable portion of the Annual Development Fund to the local government,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 18^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (13)

Ibrahim Aurakzai | 8 years ago | Reply It was always a mess when we would come from school to home due to the sever traffic jam, it's good to see that attention was given to this matter by resolving it permanently. It is indeed a good step to eradicate the mass traffic there, there are still some places that are similar like this, i hope they will be given attention soon. There is another problem i see in the roads. Some roads are broken for important places, police stations which is ironic. Blocking roads for important places is the major cause of traffic and accidents. I hope if these can be resovled by the Government.

MB | 8 years ago | Reply Good step by the Govt. First 2 years the priority was to develop the institutions and invest on the basic needs like Health, Education, Security, Good Management. Some people criticise that PTI was opposing PMLN by doing such infrastructure development. But the truth is that infrastructure development is also necessary but not to avoid the basic needs. Punjab Police is the best example of it. The provincial govt. only investing in projects like Metro, and ignoring the basic needs. I am feeling lucky to have PTI Govt. in KP.

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Arslan | 8 years ago | Reply when Shabaz Sharif do things like what khatak is doing then PTI says spend on education and health to build your nation! is this not hypocrisy?

Kamran Akmal | 8 years ago | Reply @Aamer Khawaja: You think everything is happening without Imran consent. Salute to your thought process

Aamer Khawaja | 8 years ago | Reply But but but flyovers damage environment- Imran Khan Billions of rupees are wasted by govt to construct roads & flyovers when it could be spent on education- Imran Nonetheless good job, dont listen to that man Khattak sb. these things are equally important.

Farooq Ahmed | 8 years ago | Reply Another issue i would like to raise here would be the inauguration by VIP's. Many a times projects are completed but are not open for public use till the time it is inaugurated by a VIP. An alternate could be to inaugurate by a well reputed and high performing citizen to honor his services.

Uni | 8 years ago | Reply NLC company did a very substandard and shoddy job on their part of the Metro bus elevated project in Pindi. Another construction company should have been selected.

raider | 8 years ago | Reply @KP & pti?: i think you presented your mindset instead of de-facto consolidated analysis of the province, today intervention by politician in govt deptt. is least than ever before and corruption graph skewed to decline

Awais Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Welldone! for commencing contruction work. This is commendable. However, I would also like to draw the attention of the GoKP towards the University Town area of Peshawar. The roads are all broken, most of them are blocked to secure the people who should be living in a safe compound rather then University Town, the street lights are not present, and sanitation is at poor state. Also, the authorities concerned should decide on giving commercial or non commercial status to Uni Town; every few months they launch an operation and seal the houses used for 'commercial' purposes.

Ridwan | 8 years ago | Reply Build it right! Don't build it too fast.

Neutral | 8 years ago | Reply Commendable work by PTI. Things have greatly improved since they have come into power. There is negligible power cuts at present, unlike the ones we used to have in the times of easy load era! They have really improved the traffic situation, and the work on the city has converted it from looking like a glorified village to a beautiful metropolis. There are certain thing that can be improved but this government needs time to deliver further. Keep it up.

KP & pti? | 8 years ago | Reply KP/TPI Govt. is fail in resolving the key issues of KP. The most important and significant problem of KP which is still pending and on the bases of which the PTI got votes from the public is electricity and corruption by the Govt. institutes. PTI is fail in addressing there issue and neither it seems have intention in near future. The electricity theft in KP is the highest along with the worst corruption by the Govt. institutions particularly in Account General of KP, KP Civil Secretariat, anti-corruption deptt. and even NAB. Every in KP the game of percentage is going on from Ministries to others. PTI is totally fail in even adopting any mechanism to avoid interference by it own MPA,s and MNA,s in various Govt. Deptt. using their political statisco to gain the percentage or profit. Basically PTI having no competency to identify the key issues and develop any strategy or time frame to address such issues. This the bad luck of KP that the people by going through such crisis that also increasing the crimes, race for power and of course terrorism.

Abid Shah Mashwani | 8 years ago | Reply It is understandable that PTI government is taking every step to make sure the feasibility of various projects, but looking at the mind set of majority in Pakistan, they need to do some mega projects like this. Unfortunately people see such big projects irrespective of how much extra money was wasted.

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