Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has rejected the four-carriage-design of Swat motorway and ordered the relevant authorities to redesign it with provision of six lane road.
He also directed the concerned authorities to approach Asian Development Bank and other financial institutions who had shown interest to extend financial assistance for the project. He, however, said that the financial assistance would be availed only if conditions for such lending are found suitable for the province otherwise, he added, the provincial government would complete the project from its own resources.
Presiding over a meeting held at CM Secretariat Tuesday in this regard, the chief minister also directed to take all necessary measures to start execution of the project by January and complete it in a period of one and a half year at the maximum.
The meeting was also attended by the Advisor to the Chief Minister for Communication and Works, Akbar Ayub Khan, the additional chief secretary, senior member board of revenue, secretary C&W, other concerned officers and consultant of the project.
The participants discussed at length ways and means for making the project more feasible and beneficial. The CM was told during a detailed briefing about feasibility of the motorway which is 83 kilometer long and four-lane wide. The Swat Motorway will go from Kernal Sher Khan Interchange to Chakdara Bridge was estimated at 38 billion rupees including the land acquisition at a cost of four billion rupees. A two kilometer long tunnel will also be constructed in Malakand Range area which will reduce 15 kilometer distance on the proposed motorway, it was informed.
In view of the future needs and to ensure uninterrupted flow of traffic on the motorway, Pervez Khattak directed to redesign the motorway to provide six lanes and asked the consultant to submit the amended design within two weeks. He also sought update on the land acquisition process from the four concerned districts.
Expressing dissatisfaction over performance of the consultant for preparing fool proof feasibility of the project and directed to redesign the tunnel design as well in a bid to make it more widened and convenient. He stressed that such planning must be made that the project completion must not take more than one and a half year while execution of the construction work should commence by January next, he directed. He also directed to work out revenue aspects of the project which would help the provincial government in negotiations for better terms and conditions for obtaining loan or other kind of financial assistance for the project.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pervez khattak also referred to the public complaints about condition of Kohat Road and Charsada Road and issued orders for addressing such complaints by improving condition of the roads on priority basis. He asked the Advisor C&W Akbar Ayub and the Secretary Ahmed Hanif Orakzai to visit both the roads and bridges thereon and immediate measures for improving conditions of these roads.
I guess the CM did nto receive his cut….
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