Quake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir: Erra for completion of ongoing projects at the earliest

The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) Project Steering Committee has directed all the concerned quarters to complete ongoing projects in earthquake-hit areas of Azad Kashmir as early as possible. The project steering committee's meeting was held here on Tuesday with Deputy Chairman Erra Major General Muhammad Azeem Asif in the chair and discussed in details the city development projects of Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot and directed to complete all Chinese loan schemes by the end of 2016.
Asif directed Director General, State Earthquake Reconstruction, Rehabilitation Authority (SERRA), Sardar Muhammad Rahim Khan to make arrangements for the completion of ongoing infrastructure projects as on the directions of the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif the federal government had released additional funding of Rs 3 billion for the early completion of ongoing projects.
Deputy Chairman directed all stakeholders including project directors to remove all kinds of impediments for early completion of projects for the earthquake-affected people for improving the quality of life in three earthquake-affected cities including Muzaffarabad, Bagh, and Rawalakot.
The meeting also held threadbare discussion regarding progress of ongoing projects in these cities and asked to complete more than 70 percent of already launched projects before December 2016. Deputy Chairman Erra said that water supply and sewerage facilities to be given on top priority so as to improve living conditions for the urban population. Director General SERRA Sardar Muhammad Rahim Khan, nominated representatives from the public, Authority officials and Nespak highlighted various issue creating difficulties in construction of ongoing projects and vowed to remove all hurdles to complete those development schemes in three cities of AJK.
DG, City Development Projects, Zafar Wahla apprised the committee about under-construction projects including road, education, health, power and municipal facilities that would be completed within given timeframe. He directed the concerned authorities to hand over 27 completed projects to the local administration. Deputy Chairman directed the concerned authorities to remove all impediments and handover the completed projects which included Jalalabad Bridge, sewerage system, Muzaffarabad city road, projects in Neelum Valley.
On the occasion, Muzaffarabad City Development Project Director General said Jalalabad Bridge, shopping centre, parking area, Sathra View Park and Zero Point to Airport Road with total cost of Rs 1.26 billion in Muzaffarabad city to be constructed. A 132KVA grid station mutton and fish market have also been completed and handed over to AJK government.
In Bagh, Erra has completed Federal Public School building and related services have also been built with cost of Rs 149.19 million with Chinese loan. Ring Road in Bagh City is also completed with total cost of Rs 390.45 million which will ease the traffic load. Project Director Rawalakot city apprised the meeting that eight infrastructure projects had been completed with total cost of Rs 2.5 billion which would give relief to the resident of the area.