Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Council Meeting held
Chitral Times Report
PESHAWAR: The 20th meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Council held here on Tuesday under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan accorded conditional approval to the Annual Maintenance Plan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority (PKHA) for the financial year 2021-22, and PKHA high ups were directed to submit a detailed report on the funds allocated under the Maintenance Plan of the last financial year along with the maintenance work done.
The maintenance plan will cost Rs. 1672 million out of which Rs. 1200 million will be provided by the provincial government while Rs. 472 million will be provided by PKHA from its own resources. Under the annual plan maintenance work will be ensured of about 3,000 km of roads and highways across the province, which include emergent works, rehabilitation of flood-affected roads, construction of new toll plazas, construction of field office for PKHA and other operational works. After detailed discussion on PKHA’s proposed budget for the financial year 2021-22, the council recommended it to be presented to provincial cabinet for final approval.
The meeting decided in principle to make necessary amendments in the PKHA Act to authorize the Highways Council to approve the annual budget of PKHA on the analogy of other autonomous bodies of the provincial government, and the concerned authorities has directed to present the amendments to the provincial cabinet for consideration. Besides, Provincial Cabinet Members Ishtiaq Urmer and Riaz Khan, the meeting was attended by Secretary Communication & Works, Principal Secretary to CM Amjad Ali Khan, MD PKHA and other members of the council.
The meeting decided to put in place an effective mechanism to control overloading of freight vehicles on PKHA-managed highways and the concerned departments were directed to sit together and evolve a strategy to this end. Furthermore, the Council approved the provincialization of four different roads to ensure their better management and maintenance. These roads include 35 km Sheringal Patrak Road, 126 km Topi Buner Road, 85 km Thakot Darband Road and 61 km Bannu Miranshah Road.
The meeting also approved the creation of new posts required to strengthen PKHA and increase its capacity. The meeting was briefed about the new project of roads and highways included in the Annual Development Program under PKHA, and it was informed that six highway projects have been reflected in the current Annual Development Program at a total cost of more than Rs. 6 billion adding that two major road projects under PKHA have also been included in the AIP including dualization of Bannu – Miranshah Road and improvement of Thal – Para Chinar Road to be completed with a total cost of Rs 8.6 billion. Speaking on this occasion, the chief minister directed the concerned quarters to ensure physical progress on the new road projects included in the ADP as per the timelines, and the completion of the ongoing projects within the stipulated time.
Mahmood Khan said the incumbent government was spending huge resources on various projects of highways and roads to provide quality transportation facilities to the people adding that timely completion of these projects should be ensured at all costs so that the people could benefits these projects without delay.
