Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has termed the timely completion of ongoing development projects in the province atop the priorities of his government. He was chairing a meeting held here on Thursday to review progress on various development projects and public issues of divisional headquarter Abbottabad. He directed the quarters concerned to ensure physical progress on the projects of public welfare as per the stipulated timelines. Speaker Provincial Assembly Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani, Administrative Secretaries of concerned departments, Commissioner Hazara, Deputy Commissioner Abbottabad and other relevant officials attended the meeting. In order to improve sanitation and solid waste disposal systems in all the major cities of the province, the chief minister has directed the Local Government Department to prepare a way forward to outsource the services of sanitation and waste disposal and management systems. He added that all the relevant departments, entities and local administrations would have to fulfill their responsibilities well in time to complete the ongoing development projects so that the people could benefit from those projects without any delay. He made it clear that in case of unnecessary delay or negligence in the timely completion of public welfare schemes, strict action would be taken against the responsible ones. Briefing about the upgradation of District Headquarter Hospital Abbottabad, the forum was informed that the hospital has been upgraded from Category-B to Category-A Hospital and a project for the construction of a new building of the hospital has also been approved. The chief minister also directed to resolve land issue for establishment of Multipurpose International Standard Indoor Gymnasium at Abbottabad further directing to immediately submit a summary for the acquisition of land for shifting General Bus Stand and Sabzi Mandi Abbottabad outside the city. In order to improve and widen the main drain Abbottabad, it was decided that as a short term measure, rehabilitation of the main drain would be carried out through Irrigation Department whereas progress on other components of the project would continue under the long term plan. Similarly, the chief minister has directed the authorities concerned to take immediate steps to resolve vehicular traffic issues in Abbottabad city. He said that a mass transit system for the cities of Abbottabad and Mingora was need of the hour to overcome traffic congestion issues of the cities. Briefing about the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project Abbottabad, it was informed that this project would be implemented with an estimated cost of Rs. 12,926 million. Major sub components of the project include upgradation of Choona Water Treatment Plant, Gravity Water Supply Scheme, Integrated Solid Waste Management System, Development of Adventure Family Park, converting old Dumping Site at Salhad into park and other initiatives. It was told that under the project development of Urban Green Spaces and Parks would be completed soon whereas the whole project would be completed in three years.