As the 10th meeting of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting is scheduled for July 16 via video link, the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expects to receive a dozen development projects that may change the fate of the people of the region. Most of the projects aim to raise living standards in the less developed areas of the province.
The Government of KP will present 13 mega projects during the 10th JCC meeting, according to an official document. The proposed projects include five transport infrastructure projects, three projects in industrial cooperation, three energy projects and two projects in the agriculture sector. There is a tourism project as a sub-working group under Industrial Cooperation JWG, according to official documents.
Currently, work on two mega-projects under CPEC is in progress in KP. The projects are Rashakai Special Economic Zone (RSEZ) and Hakla D.I Khan Motorway (cost Rs. 122, 181 million).
Out of 13 proposed projects, if approved, four projects will be executed in the southern district of KP to uplift the once-deprived and backward parts of the province.
The proposed projects for southern KP include Special Economic Zone-Draband, D.I. Khan, which would be set up at 3,125 acres of land. The SEZ with an estimated cost of Rs. 4.312 billion, is expected to create an estimated 512,000 jobs for the locals.
The second important project in southern KP is the 365-kilometer Peshawar D.I Khan Motorway. The motorway will connect the upper parts of KP with CPEC’s western alignment Hakla-D.I Khan Motorway (M-14) in the southern part of the province.
Chashma Right Bank lift cum gravity Canal (CRBC) is the third proposed project for southern KP. Besides creating jobs, this agriculture project will bring 286,000 acres of arid land under irrigation.
Tank Zam Dam is a forth-proposed agriculture project in southern KP that would cultivate 70,000 acres of land. The project would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs. 18 billion in a five-year period.
For upper districts of the province, the provincial government has completed the feasibility of nine projects.
Center of Excellence for Mohmand Marble City would be developed on 350 acres of land in Mohmand tribal district. The estimated cost to develop the city is Rs. 703.94 million that would create an estimated 14,000 jobs.
Kumrat Cable Car is a tourism project of tourism that would be developed under Industrial Cooperation JWG at Upper Dir. The length of the cable car is 14 kilometers with an estimated cost of Rs. 32 billion while the setting up of tourists’ facilitation at Kumrat will cost Rs. 400,000.
Toren More Kari HPP Chitral is an energy project that would cost Rs. 115.962 billion. It will produce 350MW electricity and it will be completed in an estimated time of 24 months.
Similarly, Jameshill Toren More HPP Chitral is the second hydel power project in Chitral that would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs. 94.864 billion. The 260 MW capacity project would be completed in two years.
The 500 KV Transmission Line from Chitral to Chakdara is another energy project. The 225-kilometer-long transmission line between Chitral and Chakdara will be completed with an estimated cost of Rs. 34.67 billion.
Swat Expressway Phase-II is another important connectivity project, which will reduce the distance between Swat and Islamabad to almost three hours. The 82-kilometer long motorway between Chakdara (Lower Dir) and Chakdara to Fatehpur in Swat will cost Rs. 57.5 billion.
CPEC Western Route Chitral-Chakdara-M1 is another proposed connectivity project linking Chitral, the northernmost district of KP, with Chakdara. The length of the proposed motorway is 214 kilometers. The Chitral motorway will join Swat Expressway at Chakdara to reach Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M1) at Karnal Sher Khan Interchange close to RSEZ.
Dir-Chakdara Motorway is a 30-kilometer connectivity project that would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs. 38.991 billion.
Khwazakhela-Bisham Expressway is a 28-kilometer-long road that would cost an estimated amount of Rs. 10.50 billion. It will provide the fastest access from the Khwazakhela area in Swat district to Bisham, Shangla district.
