The construction work on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is speedily under way so that to inaugurate the mega project on March 23, 2019. In addition, the government is going to start Rs 200 million's project for restoration of historical beauty of Khyber Bazaar, Qissa Khwani and Chowk-e-Yadgar.
This was revealed by Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) Director General Israr-ul-Haq while sharing details about the BRT with a delegation of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). The chamber delegation was led by its acting President Engr Saad Khan Zahid. The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) former President Ghazanfar Bilour, SCCI former president Haji Mohammad Afzal, Vice President Haris Mufti, Industrialists Association Hayatabad President Zarak Khan Khattak and other senior businessmen were also present on the occasion.
Responding to the demands of the business community regarding toll tax from the trucks on raw material at the entry of Hayatabad Industrial Estate, the PDA chief agreed to exempt the truckers from toll tax by fixing special stickers on the vehicles.
About the demand pertaining to compensation to the traders who had suffered due to the BRT construction, the PDA chief assured that he would soon visit the chamber along with minister finance Taimoor Saleem Jhagra and senior provincial Minister Shahram Khan Tarkai where these issues would be discussed.
He said that Rs470 million would be spent on the construction of greenbelt along Ring Road, U-turns and installation of the streetlights. The traffic hurdles near Hayatabad Toll plaza,he said would also be removed soon.
Earlier, the SCCI delegation expressed serious concern over the slow pace of work on the BRT and pointed out that it had badly affected the business activities and as result many of the shopkeepers had shut their workplaces where customers' access had become very difficult.
The businessmen also suggested repair of different roads, traffic management, construction of the parking plazas at different places, installation of streetlights, beautification of the historical Peshawar, and stressed the need for close liaison between the chamber of PDA to overcome many of the core issues.
The PDA officials gave briefing to the business community on multimedia about the construction work on BRT and assured that roads would be expanded in the second phase of the BRT in order to ensure smooth traffic flow on all thoroughfares.