Minister says uplift schemes underway in Bakkakhel

LAKKI MARWAT: Provincial Minister for Transport Malik Shah Muhammad Wazir has said that the provincial government had launched a number of schemes in Bakkakhel, the erstwhile FR Bannu area.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, he said that he had approved several mega projects, including the construction of 60km long Circular Road at a cost of Rs7 billion, raising of the Baran Dam at Rs5 billion, Cadet College Bannu at Bakkakhel to cost Rs3 billion, adding that Rs1.5 billion would be spent on the uplift and beautification of Bannu.

He said the government had also approved funds for the construction of a degree college for boys, a technical college, and nine schools including higher secondary, high and primary schools. He further said the projects of construction of a new bus terminal and office for the Regional Transport Authority in Bannu had also been approved.

He said that to improve the health services in Bakkakhel subdivision, funds had been sanctioned for the construction of a tehsil hospital and network of civil dispensaries and maternity care centres in Bakkakhel.

He said that he had also convinced Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed, who approved funds for the construction of 12 bridges, besides roads including Janikhel-Baran Dam road, Miryan-Narmikhel road and Haved-Hindi road.

“Two tehsils of Bakkakhel and Miryan and two sub-tehsils of Janikhel and Sardikhel have also been approved, for which funds would be released soon,” he added. Malik Shah Muhammad said that the provincial government had also approved funds to construct separate tehsil municipal administrations in both tehsils. He said he also convinced the chief minister to approve funds for launching the 1122 Rescue service in Bannu district.