*DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahab Ali Shah presided over a high-level review meeting on urban policy and building control, focusing on strengthening the role of the Urban Policy and Planning Unit (UPPU) and the Land Use and Building Control Authority (LUBCA) in effective city planning across the province.
The meeting reviewed the progress on master planning initiatives for urban centers as well as tourist destinations and discussed measures to operationalize the Land Use and Building Control Authority at the earliest.
According to a statement key proposals were presented to modernize urban planning in line with contemporary needs through institutional frameworks like the UPPU and LUBCA. The Chief Secretary emphasized the importance of aligning urban development with approved master plans and urged officials to prioritize strategic planning in developmental projects.
Senior officials including Secretary Planning and Development, Special Secretary Local Government, Executive Director Urban Policy Unit, Director General Building Control Authority, and other high-ranking representatives attended the meeting.
It was decided that the Building Control Authority would be made fully functional without delay. The Chief Secretary directed the concerned departments to provide all necessary resources to activate the authority and enhance urban planning effectiveness across the province.
The meeting was informed that master plans for various cities and regions have already been completed. Work is also underway on master planning for identified tourist hotspots in both settled and merged districts. Areas of tourism significance such as water reservoirs, dams, and riverfronts are being integrated into the planning process.
Key sites include Tanda Dam, Ghandiali Dam, Chashma, Baran Dam, Warsak, Darband, Malakand Hydel Project Stream, and riverbanks along the Indus, Swat, Kabul, and Siran Rivers.
Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah stressed the need to incorporate modern planning principles and future needs in the functionality of the Building Control Authority, ensuring sustainable and regulated urban development in KP.
