KP CM wants work on CPEC city Nowshera expedited

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Saturday directed the relevant quarters to expedite process of fulfilling formalities and payment to landowners to launch construction work on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) city Nowshera forthwith. He was presiding over the progress review meeting of the Housing Department/Provincial Housing Authority here, said an official handout.

Minister for Housing Dr Amjad Ali, Minister for Education Akbar Ayub, Secretary Housing, Senior Member Board of Revenue, head of SSU, representative of Frontier Works Organization, Nowshera District Police Officer and other relevant officers attended the meeting.

The chief minister directed for immediate provision of required strength of police for consolidation of the CPEC land and approved establishment of exclusive police station for CPEC City as a long-term solution for the security arrangements.

He asked the relevant authorities to accelerate payment to the landowners assuring that a specific tehsildar would be provided for the purpose. The chief minister underlined the need for immediate initiating of works on this project so that economic activities could be started as soon as possible. Mahmood Khan asked for a comprehensive proposal for the establishment of satellite towns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, saying that this project would be included in the next annual development programme.

Earlier, the chief minister was briefed about the different developmental schemes being undertaken by the Provincial Housing Authority in the province. He was told that Rs700 million has been approved for the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme for the current financial year.

The chief minister was told that the CPEC City in Nowshera would be established through a joint venture of PHA and FWO for which 80,000 kanal of land had been acquired and its possession had also been handed over to the FWO. The meeting was told that a non-ADP scheme had been sent to the Planning and Development Department for consideration of Provincial Development Working Party and the project is expected to be launched within the next four months. It was added that PC-I of Hangu Model Town had also been sent to the PDWP, while a master plan for media colony/Dangram Housing Scheme Swat had been prepared.

The meeting was informed about the progress on construction of high rise flats for government employees at Phase-V Hayatabad Peshawar and told that Rs200 million have been allocated in the ADP for the project. A total of 144 flats of various categories were being established under the project whereas 56 per cent physical work on the project had been completed.

Similarly, for the construction of flats at the Civil Quarters Phase-II, PC-I costing Rs897.638 million, a proposal had been submitted to the PDWP for the construction of 96 flats. The meeting was also briefed about the establishment of satellite towns in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was revealed that feasibility study of satellite towns was being carried out across the province to overcome the burden on big cities. Potential sites have been identified in the various districts for the scheme.