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QUETTA, Jul 11 (APP):An important meeting was held under the chairmanship of Commissioner Quetta Division, Shahzaib Khan Kakar, to review the ongoing development projects, urban beautification efforts, traffic system improvements, and other civic issues in the city.
The meeting was attended by Divisional Director Development Quetta Zahoor Ahmed, WASA Chief Officer Muhammad Ramzan, Metropolitan Corporation Chief Architect Ishaq Mengal, Deputy Project Director of Quetta Development Package Abid Mehmood, Director Works QDA Abdul Manaf, Director Coordination QDA Waseem Tahir, Secretary Regional Transport Authority Muhammad Ali, and other relevant departmental officers.
During the session, Commissioner Kakar was given detailed briefings from multiple departments on ongoing and planned development initiatives, performance indicators, and key actions taken to address urban challenges.
Progress on key infrastructure projects, Deputy Project Director of the Quetta Development Package informed the meeting that significant progress has been made under the initiative, particularly in enhancing the city’s infrastructure and traffic flow.
Completed projects include the renovation and construction of Sariab Road, Radio Tower Road, Link Badini Road, Joint Road, Sabzal Road, Anscomb Road, Sarki Road, and links roads of Sariab. Other completed projects include the refurbishment of the Irrigation Department building and the construction of six sports complexes.
Ongoing works include beautification of Airport Road, upgradation of Samungli Road, construction of an underpass at Spini Sabzal Chowk, a link road from Kidney Center to Airport Road, widening of Zarghoon Road, and the development of service roads under the Sariab project. Multiple other schemes have also been included in the current PSDP (Public Sector Development Programme) to enhance the city’s infrastructure and aesthetics.
Traffic Management and Encroachment Control, Metropolitan Corporation officials briefed the meeting on ongoing operations to eliminate encroachments and enforce no-parking zones in the Central Business District (CBD) area. They were directed to present a detailed report in the next meeting regarding the number of street vendors (rehris) and designated areas for their placement.
The Balochistan Traffic Engineering Bureau also provided updates on measures taken to improve traffic flow across 33 key points in the city. Initiatives include restoration of traffic signals, road widening, and the introduction of electric vehicles in the CBD area to ease congestion and reduce traffic jams during peak hours.
Water Supply and Groundwater Crisis WASA officials highlighted the water supply situation in Quetta, noting a daily demand of over 60 million gallons, while the supply remains limited to only 40 million gallons. The excessive use of illegal tube wells has drastically lowered the underground water table. Officials stressed the urgent need for recharge points to restore groundwater levels.
While one wastewater treatment plant is operational, it currently only supplies water for the Quetta Development Project. The Commissioner emphasized the need for treated wastewater to be used for parks, tree plantations, and green belts, and instructed relevant departments to halt the use of potable water for agricultural purposes to preserve clean groundwater reserves.
Commissioner’s Directives, In his remarks, Commissioner Shahzeb Kakar urged all concerned departments to foster mutual cooperation for the timely and sustainable completion of development projects. He called for a comprehensive and long-term strategy to improve traffic conditions and directed strict action against illegal tube wells.
He also emphasized the importance of building water recharge points and utilizing wastewater for greenery to safeguard potable water supplies. Measures will also be taken to manage the growing number of street vendors on Joint Road and other parts of the city.