PESHAWAR: The much-anticipated New Peshawar Valley Housing Scheme (NPVHS) has been temporarily halted due to the limited powers of the caretaker setup in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The caretaker government has been unable to make substantial progress on the project, which has a vast area of commercial district, and public amenities spanning over 106,415 kanal of land.
While residents have expressed concerns about the environmental impact and potential displacement associated with the development, the provincial government has assured that measures will be taken to minimize these impacts.
The delay in the New Peshawar Valley project is a setback for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa who are in dire need of additional housing and essential amenities.
However, the caretaker government has stated that it will continue working on the project and that it will be completed once a new government assumes power.
As per the plan approved by the KP government, 40% of the New Peshawar Valley project will be dedicated to residential areas, covering a vast expanse of Peshawar and the adjacent district of Nowshera.
The master plan outlines a total land area of 106,415 kanal, with 42,816 kanal reserved for residential purposes.
Additionally, the scheme incorporates 5,092 kanal for commercial areas, 7,323 kanal for public facilities, 17,383 kanal for parks and recreational spaces, 830 kanal for a dumping site, 2,153 kanal for a graveyard, 515 kanal for other essential facilities, and 30,299 kanal for roads and parking lots.
Furthermore, the residential area will comprise a total of 63,444 plots, with the highest number of 16,539 plots measuring 5 marla, followed by 15,602 plots of 3 marla, 15,475 plots of 1 kanal, 11,286 plots of 10 marla, 2,977 plots of 7 marla, 1,000 plots of 2 kanal, and 565 plots of 4 kanal.
The project covers 76,000 kanal of land in Peshawar and an additional 330,000 kanal in Nowshera.
Sanwal Nazir, Minister of Municipal Affairs, explained that the New Peshawar Valley is a massive undertaking, and the caretaker government lacks the power and authority to implement such a project.
Hence, no further progress, including other major initiatives, will be made until the new government takes charge.
Source: Pakistan Today
