KP CM wants work on BRT, Nowshera beautification expedited

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on Monday directed the relevant authorities to accelerate work on the main corridor and feeding routes of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to facilitate people and solve the longstanding issue of traffic mess in the provincial capital.

He was presiding a meeting on the beautification of Nowshera and progress report on the BRT at the Chief Minister's House here. Minister for Excise and Taxation Mian Jamshedudin Kakakhel, Advisor to Chief Minister Mian Khaliqur Rehman, Director General of the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) Israrul Haq, naib nazim Nowshera and other officials concerned attended the meeting, said a handout.

The meeting was also briefed about the plantation and landscaping of Nowshera, Akora Khattak and Jehangira. It was further informed about the upgradation of different facilities at Taru Jabba, Pabbi Station and Cherat Road as part of the beautification plan.

The meeting was briefed about the pace of work on the beautification of Nowshera and Peshawar and progress report was shared with the meeting about the BRT. The chief minister directed for an early completion of drain system on the BRT corridor and supply of buses for the BRT.

He called for a plan to ensure futuristic extension of Pir Zakori bridge to tackle the traffic problems in future. Pervez Khattak also directed for the accelerated work on different roads in Peshawar and beautification of Nowshera.

The chief minister said the BRT project had unique features and on completion would give one solution to all the traffic congestions in Peshawar. "There are reasons to launch this project as Peshawar would become the centre of all future trade and economic activities in the wake of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)," he said, adding that futuristic approach of his government was to link the five districts through rail communication and the entire province would be linked through road communication.

Pervez Khattak also directed for early completion of Nowshera beautification that included the plantation, landscaping, redesigning of different squares in consultation with the local MPAs. The fund utilization and the implementation process should be transparent and the benefit of these schemes should reach the people.