KP govt, Erra to exclude agriculturalland from Balakot project

MANSEHRA: The provincial government and Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (EERA) have agreed to exclude 2,750 kanals of agricultural land from New Balakot City housing project being developed to settle families of red zone of Balakot and Garlat.

“The exclusion of agricultural land from the new city project help in completion of the project, on which work has been suspended for the last many years and people of ‘red zone’ are bearing the brunt of it,” Iqbal Hussain, the deputy commissioner Mansehra, told reporters on Wednesday.

President Pervez Musharraf had performed ground breaking of New Balakot City project in 2007, with an estimated cost of Rs13 billion, but authorities failed to ensure its development, which was scheduled to be completed in 2010.  

“The entire project would be redesigned and provincial government would take it over from Erra and ensure its completion,” said Hussain.

The deputy commissioner said that Commissioner Hazara Akbar Khan was also appointed as focal persons for the project, who would complete the legal and other formalities as early as possible.