CM orders halt to illegal construction in tourist spots

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the officials to take action to stop unauthorized construction activities in Kalam, Kumrat and other tourist spots of the province.

He said this while chairing a meeting on Sunday to review progress on various initiatives of the provincial government to boost tourism activities in the province, said a handout.

Member Provincial Assembly Mian Sharafat Ali, Secretary Tourism Abid Majeed, Secretary Communications and Works Ijaz Hussain Ansari, Secretary Local Government Mian Shakil Ahmad, Secretary Planning Aamir Tareen and others attended the meeting.

The chief minister directed the officials to expedite work on the construction of access roads to tourist areas of Malakand, Hazara and southern districts.

He asked the officials to carry out an assessment survey of all the rest houses owned by various provincial departments so that the suitable ones could be handed over to the Tourism Department to be used for the promotion of tourism activities.

Mahmood Khan directed the Finance Department to release the remaining amount of funds to take over the rest houses of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation by the provincial government to utilize them for tourism activities.

Taking notice of the delay in the implementation on some tourism access roads projects in the Hazara division, he decided to constitute a committee comprising secretaries Tourism Communications, Energy and other officials to visit the site of those projects and come up with solid proposals within one month to be placed before the KP cabinet for consideration.

The meeting was told that the draft act had been cleared by the cabinet to establish Kalam Development Authority on the analogy of Galiyat Development Authority which would soon be tabled in the provincial assembly for enactment.

Similarly, the Board of Directors has been notified for the Kumrat Development Authority whereas building codes and other related matters have been finalized and will be presented to the board for formal approval within a week.

It was added that work was in progress as well on the establishment of the Kalash Development Authority.

The work on the construction of two different roads to the historical tourist spot of southern districts, Shaikh Badeen is underway.

It was added that work on the construction of certain tourism roads in the Hazara division was delayed due to some unavoidable reasons, and approval of the provincial cabinet was needed to proceed further in the matter.