Rs2.5 bn being spent on Naran, Kalam valleys

PESHAWAR: The Tourism Department is spending Rs2.5 billion on beautification and infrastructure development projects in the scenic Naran and Kalam valleys of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to facilitate tourists.

Speaking at a meeting on Thursday, Secretary Tourism, Sports, Museums, Archaeology, Culture and Youth Affairs, Muhammad Tariq, said that several uplift projects were being executed under the Tourism Integrated Area Development Unit (TAIDU) and the relevant quarters had been directed to expedite pace of work on the schemes.

The official said that a number of projects including construction of main Kalam Road, Bazar Road, Deputy Commissioner Cottage Road, DIG Cottage Road and widening and rehabilitation of other roads in Boeen, Kalam Kokonail, Tehsil, Gayail, Gargalor and Nabal areas at a cost of Rs1.2 billion.

The secretary said that rest areas, food street, recreational park, hotels and restaurants were being reconstructed and renovated at different areas in the Kalam tourist spot. The meeting was told that work was also going on seven other development projects in Kalam, which will complete by mid-September.

Besides these, over Rs1.3 billion were being spent on various development and reconstruction projects in Naran and Kaghan valleys. The projects, the secretary said, included construction of various roads to Saiful Muluk Lake, Paras-Sharan road, Jaraid-Shogran road, rest areas, entrance routes and installation of street lights, beautification of bazars, food streets, children park, flower market, cricket ground and drainage system.

He directed Project Director Tauseef Khalid to complete projects on time so that tourists could be facilitated at the earliest.The official said that use of substandard material in construction work would not be tolerated and that the erring contractors would be blacklisted.