Heritage Trail being handed over to district administration

PESHAWAR: Chief Secretary Naveed Kamran Baloch has directed the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums to complete the process of negotiations about the framing

of terms of references (ToRs) with the district government to hand over the Heritage Trail.

He issued the directives during visit to Heritage Trail, Gor Khatri Archeological Complex and the Sethi House.

Secretary Archaeology and Museums Shahid Zaman, Peshawar Commissioner Shahab Ali Shah, Secretary Home and Tribal Affairs Ikramullah, Director Archaeology and Museums Dr Abdul Samad, Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh and other officials were also present on the occasion. The chief secretary said that the district administration would provide 20 persons

for management of the Heritage Trail. Dr Abdul Samad briefed the chief secretary about the project and apprised him of the process of ToRs formulated to hand over the project to the district government and hurdles in the process.

The chief secretary said that the government was committed to preserving and restoring the archaeological buildings in the province.

He said that a Walled City Authority was being set up to protect the old and historical building there.

The senior official directed for solving the issue of plying and parking vehicles on the route of the Heritage Trail by the shopkeepers to prevent any damage to the project.

It may be mentioned her that the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums had launched the Heritage Trail Project on December 7 last year. It was supposed to be completed by April 7 last.

The outer structures of 80 shops and houses were given a beautiful look under the project costing Rs315 million. Though it was supposed to be completed in four months, it was delayed by almost two months.

The project area starts from the 118-year-old Ghanta Ghar (Cunningham Clock Tower), and passes through Bazaar-e-Kalaan and Mohallah Sethian and ends at Gor Khatri Archaeological Complex.