PESHAWAR: The much-trumpeted New Peshawar Valley Housing Scheme (NPVHS) has been put on hold until the formation of a new government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), as the caretaker setup, due to limited powers, has been unable to make any significant progress on the project.
The project is a major undertaking that will see the development of a vast area, commercial district, and public amenities, spreading over 106,415-kanal of land. The centerpiece of the development would be the world’s largest Khyber Park. The project has been met with some opposition from local residents, who have concerns about the environmental impact of the development and the potential displacement. However, the provincial government has said that the project will be implemented in a way that minimizes these impacts.
The delay in the New Peshawar Valley project is a setback for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who are in need for more housing and other essential amenities. However, the caretaker government has said that it will continue to work on the project and that it will be completed once a new government is in place.
Under the plan sanctioned by the KP government, 40% of the New Peshawar Valley project would comprise residential areas, encompassing a vast expanse of Peshawar and the adjacent district of Nowshera.
The master plan for the housing scheme indicates a total land area of 106,415 kanals, with 42,816 kanals reserved for residential purposes. Additionally, the scheme includes 5,092 kanals for commercial areas, 7,323 kanals for public facilities, 17,383 kanals for parks and recreational spaces, 830 kanals for a dumping site, 2,153 kanals for a graveyard, 515 kanals for other essential facilities, and 30,299 kanals for roads and parking lots.
The residential area will comprising a total of 63,444 plots, with the highest number of 16,539 plots measuring 5 marlas, followed by 15,602 plots of 3 marlas, 15,475 plots of 1 kanal, 11,286 plots of 10 marlas, 2,977 plots of 7 marlas, 1,000 plots of 2 kanals, and 565 plots of 4 kanals.
The project encompasses 76,000 kanals of land in Peshawar and an additional 330,000 kanals in Nowshera.
Minister of Municipal Affairs Sanwal Nazir said that New Peshawar Valley is a mega project, and the caretaker government does not have power and authority to implement this project. Therefore, no further progress has been made on the project, including other major initiatives, until the formation of the new government.
