DLP Report
PESHAWAR
Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahab Ali Shah on Friday reviewed progress on key reform initiatives of the Public Health Engineering (PHE) and the Communication and Works (C&W) Departments under the provincial Good Governance Roadmap, with a strong emphasis on digitization, evidence-based planning and institutional strengthening.
Chairing separate review meetings, the Chief Secretary assessed measures aimed at improving water service delivery, infrastructure sustainability and road asset management across the province. Senior officials, including the Secretaries C&W & PHE departments and relevant departmental representatives, attended the meetings.
During the review of the PHE Department, significant progress was noted in the digitization of water billing and collection systems to enhance transparency and transition towards digital interbank and mobile payment mechanisms. The meeting also emphasized strengthening water quality surveillance through expanded testing coverage, upgraded Management Information Systems (MIS), and structured follow-up mechanisms to ensure timely corrective actions and random verification.
The Chief Secretary stressed the need for evidence-based maintenance and repair planning, focusing on addressing infrastructure-related causes of contamination.
He underlined the importance of robust district-level data to improve budget preparedness and resource allocation. To ensure long-term sustainability, the meeting reviewed steps to institutionalize service delivery functions through dedicated internal units for service delivery, laboratories and resource management.
Proposed water conservation pilot initiatives, including rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge, were also discussed, with directions for inter-departmental coordination and completion of required approvals. Progress on the solarization of water supply schemes under ongoing development projects was reviewed, and directions were issued to finalize work plans, resolve site-specific constraints and adopt a phased implementation approach.
The Chief Secretary emphasized inter-departmental collaboration, timely approvals and performance tracking to ensure consistent improvements in water services.
In a separate review of the C&W Department, the Chief Secretary was briefed on the operationalization of the Road Asset Management System (RAMS) in Haripur, Dera Ismail Khan and Peshawar. The system will enable data-driven assessments of road conditions, ensuring that maintenance and development decisions are based on accurate and timely information.
The meeting was informed that initiatives are underway to safeguard vulnerable structures of schools and health facilities by making them flood resilient. Progress on the Thal–Parachinar Road in District Kurram was also reviewed, with officials confirming that work on the project has commenced. Additionally, progress on the Aerial Ropeway Act was discussed, which aims to establish a comprehensive framework for the construction, management and inspection of public aerial ropeways. The proposed legislation includes provisions for government oversight to ensure public safety and efficient service delivery.
