Bajaur: [ReNews Pakistan]
A solar power project launched in 2019 to provide affordable and uninterrupted electricity to Khar Bazaar in Bajaur remains incomplete and non operational, despite missing its original 2024 completion deadline.
The Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation launched the mini solar grid station under a broader plan to set up nine similar projects in the merged districts, where residents and business communities have long faced electricity shortages and unreliable power supply.
The initiative is being financed through the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Annual Development Programme. The overall cost of the schemes is estimated at around Rs 575 million, while the Khar Bazaar solar power project alone is valued at approximately Rs 40 million.
According to sources, the 175kV solar grid station includes 324 solar panels, a boundary wall and a control room. Although most of the civil and technical work has reportedly been completed, the project has yet to become operational nearly two years after its expected completion period.
A PEDO official said the project remains inactive due to a shortage of funds required for laying a one kilometre transmission line. The official also said local resistance over the proposed route of the transmission line has further delayed progress.
Officials said drainage problems have also created serious technical concerns at the site. Nearby road construction reportedly lowered the site level, causing water accumulation around the solar installation and creating a risk to the infrastructure.
The PEDO official said additional funding and formal approval are required to adjust or relocate parts of the installation before the project can be safely activated. The official added that these issues must be resolved to protect the solar panels and related equipment from possible damage.
Once the project becomes functional, PEDO will operate the solar grid station for two years before handing it over to a local management committee. The committee is expected to include representatives of the district administration and Khar Bazaar traders.
Local traders have expressed frustration over the repeated delays, saying they have raised the issue with relevant authorities several times but no practical progress has been made. They said the continued lack of reliable electricity is affecting business activity in the bazaar and increasing difficulties for shopkeepers.
District officials said a meeting held in February 2026 resulted in an agreement to begin leveling the project site, resolve drainage problems and move forward with an alternative route for the transmission line.
However, officials acknowledged that minor technical and administrative hurdles are still delaying the full operation of the project.
The prolonged delay has raised concern among residents and traders, who have urged the provincial government and relevant departments to expedite the remaining work and make the long-awaited solar grid station functional without further setbacks.