PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Thursday approved Draft Concession Agreement (DCA) for the construction of its flagship project Swat Motorway Phase-II under Public Private Partnership Model. This approval was accorded in a meeting of Public Private Partnership Committee held here the other day with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair.

Provincial cabinet members Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Fazal Shakoor, Riaz Khan, Chief Secretary Dr. Shehzad Bangash, Additional Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, other members of committee and concerned authorities attended the meeting.

Participants of the meeting were briefed in details about Draft Public Private Partnership Agreement for the construction of Swat Motorway Phase II. While agreeing to the recommendations on Public Private Partnership Agreement, the committee has authorized relevant quarters to formally sign the agreement with successful bidder.

Briefing about the salient features of the project, the forum was informed that 80 Km long Swat Motorway Phase II project would be constructed from Chakdara Interchange to Madyan Fatehpur Interchange.

Initially, this Motorway would have four lanes extendable to six lanes in the future. The corridor would have a total of 9 interchanges including Chakdara interchange, Shomozai interchange, Barikot interchange, Mingora interchange, Kanju interchange, Malam Jabba-University of Swat interchange, Sher Palam interchange, Matta-Khwaza Khela interchange and Madyan-Fatehpur interchange.

Besides, eight main bridges would be constructed at the different sites of river Swat. It was further informed that construction of four rest areas was also be made part of the project whereas link highways would be provided where needed.

Apprising of the status of land acquisition process, the forum was informed that Section IV has been imposed over 48-kilometer adding that land acquisition process would be completed in all aspects within the stipulated timelines.

The chief minister has termed this project as of vital importance for socio-economic development of the region and said that timely execution of the project should be the priority for which all arrangements and pre-requisites needed to be completed on fast track basis so that the ground breaking of project could be performed as per timelines.

He further directed that land acquisition process, resettlement and shifting of utilities be completed as soon as possible and made it clear that no delay would be tolerated in the execution of this flagship project. The chief minister on the occasion also directed to float Expression of Interest for Dir Motorway Project without any delay.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022