ISLAMABAD-Gwadar Development Authority (GDA) will inaugurate work on Central Business District in Gwadar spreading over 12.3 square kilometers area this year with an estimated cost of Rs 84-90 billion.
Central Business District in Gwadar will be developed in 10 years and it is estimated to generate Rs 400 billion profit, said Mujeebur Rehman Qambrani, Director-General of Gwadar Development Authority (GDA), while speaking at a special session on “Gwadar and the Road to Sustainable Development” organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute here.
The master plan of Gwadar smart port city envisions the development of industrial base, thus the city will be the hub of trade and economic activities, and a great attraction for tourists, investors, and labour, DG GDA said. He said that master plan of Gwadar port city is inspired by China’s city of Shenzhen and GDA is vigorously executing it for a timely delivery. “More than five years were spent on refining this master plan with close collaboration between Pakistan, China and other stakeholders,” he added. He apprised the participants regarding various projects, including Asia’s largest airport to be functional in 2023, plans for implementing safe city model, oil and gas infrastructure for smart energy modeling in the city, maritime tourism and extensive plans for ferry transport and freight and railways network connecting Gwadar with Karachi and other parts of the country.
He said this year the GDA will inaugurate work on ambitious Central Business District in Gwadar to be spread over 12.3 square kilometers to encourage fast track development through public-private partnerships. The District will be developed in 10 years will cost around Rs 84-90 billion. Cognizant of the environmental concerns in development, he said there are plans for solar park as well as various on and off-grid solutions to meet the energy demand of the city. Mentioning initiatives to meet the energy demand, he said that 100MW will be added to system in Gwadar to bridge energy demand-supply gap through partnership with Iran.
On water supply management initiatives, he informed that two freshwater dams have been constructed to meet the high water demands. Though water is ample, management issues have marred the distribution system, which will be replaced. He said that a separate governance structure has been agreed by the federal and provincial governments for one-window operations to enable swift decision-making. Dr Sajid Amin, Deputy Executive Director, SDPI said that development sector and civil society organizations can play a pivotal role as knowledge partners and in the advocacy of the immense socio-economic potential of Gwadar.