Islamabad: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved various infrastructure, water and power sector projects amounting to PKR 660 billion, a news source reported. The projects were approved during a meeting of the executive committee chaired by Finance Minister Asad Umar yesterday.
The meeting increased the cost of Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) by 38%, taking the revised cost of the project to PKR 66.43 billion from the original PKR 49.3 billion. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government informed that some funds would be required for a soft opening of the project, which is expected to be completed in June next year.
The project envisages the construction of 27.37km dedicated signal-free BRT corridor, out of which 11.85km will be on ground, 12.26km elevated and 3.25km through underpasses. In addition to the main BRT corridor, additional elevated structures having total length of 2.1km will be constructed.
ECNEC jacked up the cost of Diamer-Bhasha dam project by 1%. It also approved the inclusion of Tangir Hydropower, on recommendation of the Ministry of Water Resources, in Diamer-Bhasha – taking the revised cost to PKR 479.68 billion from the previous PKR 474 billion.
The meeting also approved a transmission line project for power evacuation from hydropower projects of 870MW Suki Kinari in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mansehra district, 1,124MW Kohala in Muzaffarabad district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 590MW Mahal in Bagh District in AJK, at a cost of PKR 79.92 billion. The main objective of the project is construction of 500kV transmission network involving a total distance of more than 750km up to Lahore to provide interconnection facilities for evacuation of electricity from the above mentioned projects being constructed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
ECNEC also approved Sindh Solar Energy Project at a cost of PKR 12.84 billion, which is aimed at supporting the scale up of solar power in the province as well as provide increased access to electricity. The project is expected to also improve energy security and fulfil Pakistan’s international obligations pertaining to climate change.
The meeting approved rehabilitation project of Dargai hydroelectric power station in Malakand at a cost PKR 4.050 billion, and its completion will help enhance the capacity of the power station to 22MW.
The council also approved the Balochistan Water Resource Development Project (Zhob and Mula river basins) at a cost of PKR 16.453 billion, which will benefit districts of Muslim Bagh, Qila Saifullah, Zhob, Khuzdar, Jhal Magsi and parts of Kalat.
