CM wants Swat Motorway extended to Mingora

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Sunday proposed to the federal government to extend the Swat Motorway from Chakdara to Mingora, pleading that would help promote tourism industry as well as generate opportunities of employment in the region.

The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting which was chaired by the chief minister, said an official handout.

Minister for Communications Akbar Ayub, secretary Communications, chief of Strategic Support Unit, Pakhtunkhwa Highways managing director and others were also present.

The meeting was briefed in details about the second extension of Swat Motorway i.e. from Chakdara to Mingora covering 41 kilometres with an estimated cost of Rs31.881 billion. The cost of the land to be acquired for this purpose and construction of the road included in the said estimated cost. Two interchanges, three bridges, 43 culverts and 27 underpasses are proposed in the said project. Speaking on this occasion, the chief minister said the National Highway Authority would carry out the proposed project. He directed the relevant quarters to send papers to this effect to the federal government. Meanwhile, the chief minister was also briefed about new schemes of the Housing Department, Nishtarabad Commercial Multiplex, City Centre, Hangu Township, Swat Township and others, etc.

High rise flats of Hayatabad and Jalozai housing scheme came under discussion as well. Meanwhile, presiding over a meeting the chief minister said speedy completion of ongoing projects of prime importance was the priority of his government. He said the buildings already completed in the Health sector should be utilized for delivery of services and these buildings should soon be handed over to the department concerned for this purpose, he added. Provincial Minister for Finance Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Principal Secretary to CM Shahab Ali Shah, Secretary Finance Shakeel Qadir and other concerned authorities attended the meeting.

The meeting discussed and reviewed the projects in the province that included a new block of the Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital Trauma Center, Cardiology Block of the Hayatabad Medical Complex and a new building of the Central Prison Peshawar. Different projects of PKHA, C&W and Irrigation were also discussed.