our correspondent
PESHAWAR
Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan approved provincialization of six provincial roads along-with their nomenclatures.
He also approved regularization of 148 contract employees of Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority and technical allowance for graduate engineers working in the field under Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority.
Approval to this effect was given in the 16th annual meeting of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Council held at Chief Minister’s Secretariat Peshawar. Provincial Minister for communication and works Akbar Ayub, Minister for Finance Taimur Saleem Jhagra, Additional Chief Secretary Shehzad Bangash and other concerned authorities attended. The meeting was briefed about the implementation status on decisions taken in the last meeting of Council. Meeting approved annual development program of Council for year 2018-19.
The meeting also approved the proposed maintenance plan for 2018-19 and budget of Council for 2018-19. The meeting was told that presently Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority is the custodian of 34 Provincial Highways with the total length of 2790 KM. The previous meeting of the Council had approved provincialization of Manglawar to Malam Jabba road in District Swat and Sirikot to Goodwalian bypass road and the decision has been implemented. On the recommendations of Council, the meeting also approved provincialization of six further provincial roads that included 35 km long Chukiatan Sheringal Patrak road (S-16) District Dir Upper, 23 km long Matta Fazil Banda road (S-17) district swat, 12 km long Umarzai to Tangi Tehsil Headquarter road (S-9-B)District Charsadda), 24 km long Haripur Bypass road (S-12-A) District Haripur, 35 km long Amberi Killi to Abbassi Banda road (S-13-A) District Karak and 16 km long Rehana Mang road (S-5-C) District Haripur.
The meeting also conditionally agreed to the widening and rehabilitation of Thakot to Darband road and directed the quarter concerned to submit a practicable plan in this regard. Imposition of Tax on difference provincial roads also discussed in the meeting. The Chief Minister directed Provincial Ministers for C&W and Finance to devise a strategy and submit a realistic proposal within a month in this regard further directing that concerned Federal Authorities should also be approached for the purpose. The meeting also approved the new method of recruitment of Managing Director PKHA. According to change by initial recruitment of MD PKHA would require qualification of MSc Civil Engineering backed by 15 years relevant experience or first Class BSc in Civil engineering having 20 years of relevant experience or by selection on merit from amongst Directors BPS-19 of the authority having at least 5 years qualifying experience in BS-19 or by transfer from amongst BS-19/20 Officers of Communication and Works Department.
