A winter frolic: Children to have 33 new playgrounds by year end

Each to cost Rs15 million

PESHAWAR: Children of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have reason to celebrate as the provincial government plans to accelerate construction work on as many as 33 playgrounds.

According to documents available with The Express Tribune, the grounds will be ready by December.



“The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs initially approved 47 playgrounds and allocated Rs705 million,” stated the documents. “The number of such facilities was later increased to 62 and an additional Rs225 million were allocated for them.”



As per the documents, each ground would cost around Rs15 million and work was in full swing to complete 33 of them on an “emergency basis”. “However, 13 sites were disputed territory and the government has filed cases in this regard to the high court,” the documents added.

Meanwhile, another playground had its tender cancelled on three occasions and is yet to be handed over to a contractor by the communication and works department to begin construction.

At least Rs200 million has been released this year to construct playgrounds while the remaining amount would be made available in 2016.

“Playgrounds will be built in DI Khan, Karak, Lower Dir, Chitral, Hangu and Charsadda,” stated the documents. “Tank, Shangla, Swat, Kohat and Haripur districts will also see new playgrounds. Upper Dir would also be home to new grounds in the same way as Swabi, Battagram, Mardan, Buner, Kohistan, Nowshera, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, Malakand and Peshawar.”

Speaking to The Express Tribune, K-P Sports and Youth Affairs Development Director Niamatullah Khan said 33 playgrounds were being built on an emergency basis. He confirmed they would be completed by the end of December.



“A memorandum of understanding had been signed by the relevant education and sporting authorities to establish playgrounds at schools and colleges,” the director said.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 23^rd,  2015.