Development finance: World Bank approves Rs15b sewerage project

FAISALABAD:

The World Bank has approved a Rs15 billion sewerage project in Faisalabad. The blueprint has been sent to concerned departments for a feasibility study, DCO Noorul Amin Mengal said on Thursday. He was talking to newsmen after a meeting.

The DCO said under the project, sites would be marked for industrial waste disposal and the Mamu Kanjan seepage drain would be upgraded. He said the project would improve the sewerage and water supply systems in Faisalabad.

The DCO said meetings had been held with representatives of the World Bank to iron out the financing model for the project.

He said a number of development projects had been planned for Faisalabad at an estimated cost of Rs35 billion. He said the government wanted to turn Faisalabad into a model city.

The DCO said several development projects would be completed in six months. “There will be a visible change in the city by the end of this year,” he said.

He said the Canal Expressway would serve as an economic corridor for Faisalabad. The DCO said a 25-kilometre-long expressway with six lanes was being built at a cost of Rs7 billion.

“The Faisalabad Children’s Hospital, the biggest in Asia, will change the healthcare situation in the district,” he said. He said the emergency ward of the hospital would open in August.

He said completion of Jhal Khannauana Chowk underpass would help mitigate traffic problems in the city. He said the underpass would open in three months.

The DCO said a state-of-the-art general hospital would be set up Haseeb Shaheed Colony, adding that its construction would begin in a few months.

“We have funds issued by the government on completion of development projects and upgrading facilities for citizens,” he said.

The DCO expressed satisfaction over the performance of the Faisalabad Parking Company and said the construction of several parking plazas was being considered to resolve parking problems the city.

He said the 11 national assembly members from Faisalabad had been granted Rs100 million by the government under the Annual Development Programme.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2015.