Suggestions for Peshawar

Peshawar, considered to be one of the oldest cities of the region, has turned into a jungle of uncontrolled construction and expansion over the years. Nowadays it is a crowded and dusty city. The airport is located right in the middle of the city, forcing all traffic to go around in circles and also blocking the construction of high–rise buildings. GT Road also passes through the middle of the city winding its way to Kabul. There is no authority to impose construction, zoning or other rules in the city. Another interesting aspect is the severe shortage of commercial areas. The PTI government has a golden opportunity to develop Peshawar into the first metropolitan city of north Pakistan.
For this it can consider buying land in Bara from the federal government for expansion. Beside this, Peshawar desperately needs a new airport, which can accommodate big, jumbo-sized aeroplanes. Commercial areas are another important requirement. Peshawar needs an authority that can check, supervise and improve construction of residential and commercial buildings and provide guidelines to the private sector. By developing Peshawar into a metropolitan city, the security aspect can also be addressed.
Engr Shahryar Khan Baseer
Peshawar