KP to launch municipal infrastructure project in five cities

F.P. Report

PESHAWAR: The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is going to launch a project to improve and strengthen municipal infrastructures and services in order to improve the quality of life of citizens in five big cities of the province including Peshawar, Kohat, Abbottabad, Mardan and Swat.

The project titled as “Citizens Improvement Project” CIP to be launched with the financial assistance of Asian Development Bank will help the selected cities improve their access to quality urban services through enhanced municipal infrastructure and strengthened institutional capacities/efficiencies of municipal set ups in these cities.

This was revealed in a meeting of Local Government Department held here Tuesday with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the chair. Under  the CIP various schemes of clean drinking water, solid waste management, sewerage treatment plants, construction of parks and recreation sports, development of green areas etc will be launched in the selected cities.

The project will be completed with an estimated cost of Rs. 9.50 Million US dollars. The provincial government will provide/acquire the required pieces of land for these projects.

Besides, Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Local government Kamran Bangash, Secretary Local Government Mian Shakil Ahmad and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shahab Ali Shah, other relevant authorities also attended the meeting.

The meeting was given a detailed briefing about the details of individual schemes to be launched in these cities under the CIP, the progress so far made to finalize the project and various other related matters.

The meeting was informed that work on the Engineering Design and Construction Management of the project  is in final Stages which  will be completed very soon and practical work on the project will be started by the end of this year.

Briefing the meeting about the projects to be initiated under the CIP in each of the aforementioned cities it was informed that replacement of 479 kilometer long water supply pipes, solid waste management system at Shamshatu, Sewerage treatment Plant at Kaneeza, Development of Basie Park, Family Areas, Walking tracks and Eateries are the important schemes proposed for Peshawar City.

Similarly, Mingora Greater Water Supply Schemes Solid Waste Management System at Kaolaro Mela and Development of River Fronts, and other green spaces are the proposed projects for Swat.

It was further told that projects for Mardan include Solid Waste Management at Chantar, Sewerage Treatment Plant at Rorya, Green initiatives on Ring Road and tree plantation etc whereas Replacement of 150-kilometer water Supply network, Solid Waste Management System at Oblan, Sewerage treatment Plant at KDA, Women Development Center and Development of Women Park at Tanda are important proposed schemes for Kohat.

Regarding the schemes of Abbottabad the meeting was informed that upgradation of Choona Water Supply Scheme, Solid Waste Management at Dhamtor, Development of Sherwan Park Hiking Trail, Family Area, Botanical Garden, Boundary Walls and Parking areas etc were the proposed project for Hazara Divisional Headquarters.

While expressing his satisfaction on the progress so far made on the CIP, the Chief Minister directed the concerned authorities to complete the engineering design of the project by July this year and said that on completion the project would help improve the quality of life of the citizens in these cities.