KP finalizes 13 projects for Pakistan-China JCC approval

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has finalised 13 key projects for the upcoming Pak-China 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting.

The projects include five roads infrastructure, three energy, two agriculture, two industries, and a tourism project. A meeting of the JCC will be convened soon in which the projects will be formally approved.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan while confirming the details, told this scribe that the provincial government has made all preparations for the upcoming Pak-China 10th JCC. The feasibility of almost all the projects has been completed. The construction of roads would provide better transport facilities to the people of the province.

“The Chashma Right Bank Canal is a 40-year-old project that will revolutionise the southern districts and make the province self-sufficient in wheat. Becoming the second industrial zone in the province after Rashkai will start a new era of development and employment in the southern districts. The energy projects are also in the pipeline”, he added.

To a question, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said Chinese Ambassador Nong Rong during his visit to Peshawar had assured more investment in the province which would help alleviate poverty. China is time-tested friend of Pakistan and CPEC is a great example of Pak-China friendship. The chief minister said the flagship project of CPEC Rasakai Special Economic Zone would be inaugurated soon which would boost industrial activities and create employment opportunities in the province.

According to official documents available with this correspondent, five important transport infrastructure projects have been proposed for formal JCC approval. The first project is the 82-km Swat Expressway from Chakdara to Fatehpur Phase-II having a total cost of Rs57.7 billion will be built on a public-private partnership basis. Land and re-settlement cost is Rs20.5 billion while the construction cost of the project is estimated at Rs37.2 billion.

Another important transport infrastructure project is 365-km Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway. The total cost of the project is Rs 295.488 billion including construction cost of Rs275.488 billion and a land cost of Rs20.00 billion. The third project is 214-km CPEC western route Chitral-Chakdara-M1. The cost will be ascertained, once the feasibility is completed. Dir-Chakdara Motorway is 30-km and the cost of the project is Rs38.991 billion. The fifth road project is 28-km Khwazakhela-Bisham Expressway worth Rs10.50 billion.

Agriculture projects are also included in the list including the game-changer project of Chashma Right Bank lift-cum-gravity Canal (CRBC). The oldest project has Rs119.600 a billion cost and will cultivate 2, 86,000 barren lands of southern districts. Tank Zam Dam has a total cost of Rs18 billion and will cultivate 70,000 acres.

KP government has also included two industrial cooperation projects in the province including Special Economic Zone-Draband, DI Khan, with a total cost of US $28 million. It would create 512,000 jobs and will be developed on 3125 acres area. Similarly, another proposed project is the Centre of Excellence for Mohmand Marble City covering 350 acres having a cost of Rs703.94 million. The government has expected around 14,000 jobs in the area.

The PTI government has also proposed a tourism project of 14-km, Kumrat cable car costing Rs32,000 million along with Rs4 million on tourists facilities. Three energy projects are also proposed in the JCC of CPEC.

Toren More Kari HPP Chitral has a cost of $753 million with a capacity of 350 MW. It would be completed within 24 months. Another power project is Jameshill Toren More HPP Chitral costing $ 616 million with 260 MW production, it will be completed in two years. Construction of Chitral-Chakdara 25-km, 500 KV transmission line with two grid stations is also proposed. The project cost is Rs 34.67 billion and expected to be completed in 57 months. It would be completed on IPP mode.