ABBOTTABAD
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project (KPCIP) has initiated construction work on water supply schemes, including the Chona water treatment plant in Abbottabad city. Progress is also being made on the Sherwan Hill Family Adventure Park which will strengthen the tourism sector and provide jobs to thousands of locals.
Commissioner Hazara Division, Amir Sultan Tareen assured Project Director of KPCIP, Syed Zafar Ali Shah, assured his full support in timely completion of the projects. The assurance was given during a meeting held here at the commissioner’s office in Abbottabad.
Director of Compliance Directorate, Amir Alam Khan, Director of Technical Engineering, Mian Muhammad Shakeel, Chief Executive Officer of Abbottabad, Rehan Yusuf, and Chief Engineer of the City Implementation Unit-KPCIP, Mohsin Shehzad were also present in the meeting.
The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), is implementing the construction of a water treatment plant (WTP) and integrated water supply system.
During the meeting, the project director provided the commissioner with insights into the technical, environmental, social, and health aspects of the project, following a detailed briefing from the City Implementation Unit team led by Chief Engineer Mohsin Shehzad.
Once completed, the plant will purify 6.5 million gallons of water daily and be integrated into a water supply network that will cover localities served by the Water and Sanitation Services Company (WSSC) Abbottabad. Each connection will be equipped with flow meters, and the network will extend to 36,000 households. The WTP will ultimately be handed over to the WSSC and serve as a dependable source of safe drinking water, enhancing the overall well-being of the community, stated the project director.
He further explained that the project would tap into streams and spring water located uphill, transporting it through a pipeline to the treatment plant for purification before distribution to the city. In addition to its everyday benefits, the WTP will be invaluable during emergencies, such as natural disasters, where access to clean water may be compromised. Having well-functioning treatment plants in place ensures that communities can respond effectively to crises.
The project director also visited an under-construction park spanning 87.5 acres, which will feature modern amenities such as BBQ areas, a restaurant, a parking lot, a zipline, modern benches, and outdoor seating areas. The rehabilitation of a natural stream is an integral part of this project.
“With the construction of the park, the existing pine forest will be preserved, significantly impacting the overall environment of the city,” he remarked. More than 1.3 million inhabitants of the district are set to benefit from these initiatives, promoting tourism and enabling thousands to earn a livelihood.
