PESHAWAR: Feasibility study for the first component of Khyber Pass Economic Corridor, the Development Expressway was in progress while the matter regarding master planning of second component "Economic Development" has been taken up with the World Bank.

This was told during a meeting to review the progress on mega developmental projects here at Chief Minister's Secretariat with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair. Advisor to CM on Industries Abdul Karim, Additional Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir, administrative secretaries of concerned departments and other relevant officials attended the meeting.

The meeting was briefed in details about the progress made so far on various mega projects including Khyber Pass Economic Corridor, Rashakai Special Economic Zone, Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway, Swat Motorway, Dir Motorway, CPEC City Nowshera, Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme, Hattar Special Economic Zone, Chashma Right Bank Canal, Insaf Rozgar Scheme, Development of Access Roads to tourists spots in Hazara and Malakand Division.

The chief minister directed the authorities concerned to submit report on all the feasible options for the financing of this mega project including making it the part of CPEC projects. "Completion of the project would not only be helpful to make the province self sufficient in agriculture production but would also create tremendous employment opportunities for the people", he added.

The meeting was apprised that the PC-1 of PSDP project "Khyber Pass Economic Corridor" had been approved by ECNEC and phase-I of the Swat Motorway Project had been completed and opened for vehicular traffic whereas PC-1 for the acquisition of land for Phase-II of Swat Motorway was also approved by the relevant forum.

The meeting was told that preparations for ground breaking of Rashakai Special Economic Zone were almost completed and hopefully ground breaking of the project would be performed by the end of November 2020. It was further informed that over 700 applications had been received for setting up of industries in Rashakai Special Economic Zone. Similarly, PC-II for feasibility and design of Peshawar to DI Khan Motorway had been approved by relevant forum whereas feasibility of Dir Motorway Project was underway.

Briefing about the progress made so far on Insaf Rozgar Scheme, the forum was appraised that 97% of funds released for this project had been utilized. The forum was also informed that work orders for the construction of 60 Km long five different access roads to tourist spots of Hazara division had already been issued. Similarly, work orders had been issued for development of 35 Km long different roads in order to ensure easy access of tourists to the tourists spots of the Malakand division.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020