Peshawar Model Town to be ready in three years

PESHAWAR: An official of the Housing Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tuesday said that the Peshawar Model Town would be readied in three years to overcome the shortage of residential facilities in the provincial metropolis.
“Though it was a five years project, the provincial government will ensure execution of the scheme in three years,” Zahid Arif, Secretary Housing, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, told the ‘Guest Hour Programme’ of the Peshawar Press Club.
Around 1,132 kanal of land had been sanctioned for Media Enclave for the journalists in the project, he maintained. Peshawar Press Club (PPC) President Syed Bukhar Shah, Khyber Union of Journalists (KhUJ) President Nisar Mehmood, Director General Provincial Development Authority (PDA) Saleem Shehzad were also present on the occasion.
Zahid Arif said that the residential model town would be constructed on 172,000 acres of land. He said that the tender would be awarded to an international standard company. The official added that the offices of the important government departments, including building of the Provincial Assembly, would be shifted to the new town.
He said that the project was planned because no standard residential town could be constructed in the provincial capital after Hayatabad. The official said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government was aware of the problems of the journalist community.
“About 1,000 plots will be allocated to the journalists in the project,” he maintained.He added that the Media Enclave would be at a few minutes’ distance from Grand Trunk Road and the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway.
The official said that the inclusion of the Media Enclave in the mega residential project could be made possible due to the efforts of journalists and officials of the Housing Department. He said keeping in mind the financial problems of the journalists, the government had also waived off the installments of the Durrani Media Colony.
President PPC Syed Bukhar Shah and President KhUJ Nisar Mehmood presented shields to Zahid Arif and PDA DG Saleem Shehzad as recognition for their services and efforts for inclusion of the Media Enclave in the Peshawar Model Town Project.