Rs700m released for Mansehra development project by KP govt

MANSEHRA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has released an amount of Rs700 million under a project meant for the beautification of the district.

The money is being spent in Mansehra, Balakot, Baffa-Pakhal and Oghi tehsils of the district. “This project may boost tourism and provide civic services to the locals,” Deputy Commissioner Dr Qasim Ali Khan told reporters here on Friday.

He added that the execution of parks and waiting areas would be built alongside Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road and Karakoram Highway for tourists. “We are also going to construct the compound walls around the shrines of the Shah Ismail Shaheed and Shah Ahmad Shaeed in Balakot and also preserve the historic buildings,” Dr Qasim said.

The deputy commissioner said that public toilets were being constructed in Balakot, Garhi Habibullah and Ghanool. “The waiting sheds are being constructed in different localities in Balakot tehsil to facilitate tourists coming to Kaghan valley and signboards would also be installed in different localities,” he said.

He said that in order to keep the environment clean and hazard-free, dustbins were being installed in different localities in the district. “The improvement of the existing roads and sewerage lines along the main and link roads is also the part of this project and an amount of Rs325 million is being spent on it,” Dr Qasim said. He said that an amount of Rs170 million was being spent on the improvement of the existing parks and installation of the monuments and sculptures at various places.