Zahoor Buledi reviews GDA projects, Gwadar water supply and orders new sports complex plan

GWADAR: Provincial Minister for Planning and Development Mir Zahoor Buledi chaired a high-level meeting on the Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) during a visit to Gwadar. The meeting reviewed ongoing and completed development projects, the city’s water supply, the funds needed for future projects, administrative matters and the performance of the GDA School.

Members of the provincial assembly Maulana Hidayat-ur-Rehman, Syed Zafar Ali Agha and Engineer Abdul Majeed Badini attended the meeting. So did GDA Director General Moin-ur-Rehman Khan, GDA Chief Engineer Haji Syed Muhammad and other officials.

GDA Director General Moin-ur-Rehman Khan briefed the provincial minister on the authority’s development projects. He spoke in particular about the work under way and completed under the Old Town Restoration Project. He also briefed him on improvements to the water supply system, municipal services and the authority’s overall performance.

The briefing said that, under the Old Town Restoration Project, work had been carried out to build, expand, restore and beautify various roads, streets, markets, educational institutions, graveyards, Eidgahs, squares and intersections in the city. This had improved the urban environment, traffic movement and business activity. The project is a comprehensive scheme for the city’s development, the provision of basic civic facilities and the protection of its historical and cultural heritage.

The GDA director general said the authority had planted more than 5,000 trees in the city. He said it had also built various facilities and was responsible for their operation, maintenance and repair. These include about 31 kilometres of sewage drains, 23 kilometres of storm drains, three stadiums, three public parks, more than 250 kilometres of roads, the GDA School, the GDA Hospital and a fish landing jetty. Under the GDA’s municipal services, cleaning of roads, beaches and other public places is also continuing.

Water supply: 16,000 new connections

The meeting was told that over the past year the GDA had taken several steps to overcome the water shortage. These include resuming water supply from the Shadi Kaur Dam, making a distribution line of about 300 kilometres in the city operational, providing 16,000 new water connections, and shifting connections from old Public Health Engineering (PHE) lines to the new system. The authority has also introduced water billing, improved the main transmission line and built underground water storage tanks.

The provincial minister praised the GDA’s measures on water supply. He directed that progress be made on a proposal to set up a separate electricity feeder for the Shadi Kaur pumping station to reduce its rising fuel costs. He directed that the PC-I of this project be submitted again. He also assured support in providing the funds required by the provincial government.

New projects and restructuring of the GDA School

The meeting also reviewed the GDA’s upcoming projects and the funds allocated for the current financial year. The provincial minister assured cooperation in increasing the funds. He directed that a PC-I be prepared and submitted for a new sports complex in Gwadar. He also directed that new projects be prepared for the restoration of TTC Colony, Bakhshi Colony, Shambay Ismail Ward and Faqir Colony in the next phase of the Old Town Restoration Project.

The provincial minister directed that comprehensive proposals be prepared to reorganise the GDA School, improve its curriculum, select qualified and experienced teachers, make the teaching system effective and provide the necessary resources. He stressed the need to examine the possibility of affiliating the school with a suitable education board or running it under the private sector. He assured cooperation in providing additional funds to improve the school.

Mir Zahoor Buledi said the provincial government, under Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Sarfraz Bugti, was taking a special interest in the development of Gwadar and in providing basic facilities to its citizens. He said efforts would be made to make resources and funds available for Gwadar’s projects on a priority basis.

He expressed satisfaction with the GDA’s measures over the past year. He directed that work on ongoing projects be speeded up further, that quality and transparency be ensured in development activities, and that all available resources be used to give the public maximum relief.

Photo: courtesy DGPR Balochistan