The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has cleared seven development projects totaling Rs101.053 billion. Of these, three projects worth Rs10.053 billion were approved at the CDWP level, while four major projects valued at Rs91 billion were recommended to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval.
Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal chaired the meeting which was attended by Secretary Planning Awais Manzur Sumra, along with members of the Planning Commission, Chief Economist of PC, Federal Secretaries, heads of Provincial Planning & Development (P&D) departments, and senior representatives from relevant Federal Ministries and Provincial Governments.
The meeting focused on development projects across key sectors, including Higher Education, Information Technology, Physical Planning & Housing, Transport & Communications and Tourism.
The forum approved two projects in the Higher Education sector namely “Development of the National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), Rawalpindi” with the cost of Rs3,387.386 million, and “Establishment of Sukkur IBA University Campus at Mirpurkhas”, worth to Rs1,699.052 million, after detailed discussions..
A project related to the Information Technology sector namely “Gwadar Safe City Project (Revised)” worth Rs. 4966.905 million was approved by the forum.
The project is proposed to be financed through PSDP on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis between the Federal and Provincial Governments.
The purpose of Gwadar Safe City Project will result in the development of safety within the city. CCTV for creation of a safer environment reducing acts of vandalism, theft, security threats to strategic places/locations and identification of attacks on members of the public and foreigners. The revision of PC-1 incorporates input from all stakeholders regarding the rationalized project components.
The CDWP referred a project related to Physical Planning & Housing namely “Sewerage System from Larechs Colony to Gulshan-E-Ravi, Lahore (Through Trenchless Technology) “worth Rs. 49,270.400 million to ECNEC for further consideration.
The project is proposed to be financed through foreign funding of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).
WASA Lahore, with financial support from AIIB and technical assistance from Project Management Consultants (JV of EBA-ECSP-EEC-TEAM), is undertaking a major infrastructure upgrade through the construction of a new Trunk Sewerage System in Central Lahore using micro-tunneling technology to replace the outdated sewerage network laid 25–60 years ago.
Executed on EPC mode, the project aims to separate sewerage from stormwater, minimize disruption, and address urban runoff by laying three major trunk lines: Line-A (7.25 km, 2400 mm diameter), Line-B (6.644 km, 1500–2400 mm), and Line-C (5.337 km, 3500 mm), connecting key disposal stations across Lahore and accommodating future expansions under both WASA and Cantonment Board jurisdictions.
The forum also forwarded a project related to the tourism sector namely “Punjab Tourism for Economic Growth Project (PTEGP) – World Bank Assisted (Revised)” worth Rs. 12472 million to ECNEC for further consideration.
The project is proposed to be financed through foreign funding of the World Bank’s loan. The Punjab Tourism project focuses on boosting tourism through four key components: policy and institutional reforms including restructuring of TDCP and skills development, infrastructure and destination development featuring road connectivity, museum upgrades, digital facilities, solar systems, and private sector investment plans; project management and institutional capacity building to support tourism-related departments; and a zero-cost Contingent Emergency Response Component for crisis response.
Besides, the it referred a project related to Transport & Communications sector namely “Construction of Dualization of Sialkot Eminabad Road up to Kamoki Including Link to Motorway Length: 65.10 Km (Section-I (Ghatto Rora) to (Dharam Kot 28.86 km), including link to Motorway (3.6 Km, Length:32.46 Km) in District Sialkot New” worth Rs 12973.025 million to ECNEC.
The CDWP referred another project namely “Rehabilitation & Upgradation of Jhaljao – Bela Road (79.89 km) Revised” worth Rs 16219.630 million to ECNEC for further consideration.
