PESHAWAR – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has directed the relevant departments to accelerate development work under the Peshawar Master Development Plan, ensure the timely completion of ongoing projects, improve traffic management and introduce necessary legislation for the registration of rickshaws and Qingqi vehicles.
The directives were issued during a meeting chaired by the governor to review the proposed 100 day and 180 day targets under the Peshawar Master Development Plan. Finance Adviser Asif Mahmood Pasha, Local Government Adviser Asif Rafiq, the chief secretary and other relevant officials attended the meeting.
The governor was given a detailed briefing on the development initiatives, including the completion of Phase I and Phase II of the missing links of the Ring Road, construction of underpasses, installation of electric poles, improvement of street lighting and underground cable networks.
Officials informed the meeting that three underpasses had been completed in Peshawar, while the underpasses at Pishtakhara and Jamil Chowk were expected to be completed soon.Work on the installation and rehabilitation of electric poles, lighting and cabling along the Ring Road and Grand Trunk Road was also under way at an estimated cost of Rs500 million.
The governor was further briefed on plans to rehabilitate, upgrade and construct 35 major roads across Peshawar.Construction of Level-II of the Pir Zakori Flyover and the expansion of Nasir Bagh Road were under way, while consultants had been engaged for the proposed underpasses at University Road, Ram Das Chungi and Lahori Chowk Phase I.
The meeting was informed that the New Peshawar Bus Terminal, spread over 323 kanals, would be made operational soon under a public-private partnership model. Participants also discussed proposals for developing shopping malls or residential flats at old bus terminals to improve urban infrastructure and make more productive use of available land.
Officials briefed the governor that debris from sites cleared during anti-encroachment operations would be removed within two days.The meeting also considered proposals to beautify the cleared areas, plant grass and develop public spaces for the benefit of residents.
The feasibility study and design for shifting electricity wires underground from Pir Zakori Flyover to Aman Chowk near Karkhano Market had been completed, the meeting was told.The governor directed the relevant authorities to extend underground cabling initiatives across the city, observing that the measure could also help curb electricity theft.
Kundi called for the immediate recarpeting of University Road on a priority basis and directed the authorities to improve the appearance of Peshawar’s canal roads through modern lighting and other beautification measures, taking Lahore as a model.He also stressed the need to improve electric poles, streetlights and other essential municipal facilities, particularly at locations frequented by tourists.
Traffic congestion and its underlying causes were also discussed in detail, including parking facilities, the construction of medians and traffic management on Dalazak Road, Charsadda Road and Circular Road. Officials informed the meeting that no rickshaws or Qingqi vehicles had been registered since 2016 because of the absence of the relevant legal framework.
The governor directed the concerned departments to initiate legislation without delay to regulate the registration of rickshaws and Qingqi vehicles.He stressed that where legislative measures were necessary to address public problems, the relevant authorities should take prompt action rather than allow administrative difficulties to persist.
The meeting also reviewed the proposed introduction of an electronic challan system. Kundi directed the authorities to ensure strict enforcement of traffic laws, take effective action against violations and launch public awareness campaigns to educate citizens about traffic regulations and responsible road use.
He called for consultations with the traffic police before finalising the proposed underpass projects and directed the relevant departments to establish a joint working group to identify practical solutions to congestion at major traffic bottlenecks across Peshawar.
The governor also received a detailed briefing on Regi Model Town and directed the authorities to prepare a feasibility study for constructing an underpass on Kohat Road.
Emphasising the importance of coordinated urban planning, Kundi said all ongoing development projects must be completed within their stipulated timelines.He called for immediate measures to improve tourist destinations, upgrade basic infrastructure and transform spaces cleared during anti-encroachment operations into attractive public areas.
The meeting underscored the need for coordinated action by the relevant departments to improve Peshawar’s road network, ease traffic congestion, modernise urban facilities and make the provincial capital cleaner, more accessible and better planned.
