Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for local government and rural development, Inayatullah Khan, has revealed that the Greater Water Supply Scheme Peshawar (GWSSP) was delayed due to financial constraints. However, he said the project is still under consideration for implementation through province' own financial resources instead of donors assistance to provide clean drinking water to the residents of provincial metropolis.
Speaking at a news conference here at Peshawar Press Club on Friday, he said the provincial government has planned to supply water from the two major water reservoirs, including Warsak and Bara Dams to provide drinking water to Peshawarites under the Greater Water Supply Scheme Peshawar.
The Minister said that the project requires huge funds, which could not be executed without foreign financial assistance. However, he expressed hope that fiscal space would be created within the next two to three years, and then the provincial government would have the required funds to commission the project by its own financial resources.
According to media reports, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would require around Rs 50billion to execute the much-awaited Greater Water Supply Scheme Peshawar to provide clean drinking water to the residents of provincial metropolis. About the increase in water bills tariff, the Minister said that an independent board of Water and Sanitation Services Peshawar (WSSP) had approved the hike in tariff, which need to be reviewed after the mass agitation against it.
Regarding the replacement of rusted water pipelines and drainage system, he said that the department is taking practical measures to overcome issues. However, he said the drainage system requires an entire revamping in the provincial capital Peshawar. He emphasized the need for the development of system to address the increasing civic issues across the province.
When asked about the dilapidated state of General bus stand in Peshawar, he replied that the provincial government had planned to shift the existing 'Peshawar bus Adda' out of city for which 800 Kanals land have been acquired to construct state-of-the art bus terminal. While, he maintained that a modern shopping mall and civic centre along with CPEC tower would be constructed at the 144 to 152 Kanals land of General bus stand in Peshawar.