INDUSTRY AND TRADE

Industry

A small industrial estate has been set up whereas a total of 66 factories were established out of which 36 are operating while the rest have been closed. Mardan is rich in sugar cane, tobacco, popular and sheesham wood. There is a lot of industrial activity for the production of sugar and manufacturing of cigarettes. In 1997-98, there are 77 industrial units of sugar, tobacco, match, furniture, marble, flour mills, steel industries, aluminum goods and handi crafts etc.

Mardan Sugar Mill

Mardan Sugrar Mill

Takht Bhai Sugar Mill

Takht Bhai Sugar Milll

Communication

The main means of transport are roads. There is a good network of metalled and unmettaled roads in the district. District, tehsil headquarters and all important towns are connected with roads. There are 351 kilometers of metalled roads in the districts.

Pakistan Railways serves only a part of the district. The district headquarters Mardan is linked with branch railway lines with Dargai, Malakand protected area, Charsadda and Nowshera. On the 1st January, 1901, a narrow gauge railway line known as the Nowshehra Dargai Branch line connecting with the foot of Malakand pass was opened. This was converted into broad gauge in 1921. The important railway stations on this railway line are Gujar Garhi, Takht Bhai and Hathian.

There are 127 post offices, one telegraph office, 14694 telephones connections and 1156 small exchange connection numbers in Mardan district.

Trade And Trade Centres

Sugar is produced on large scale at Mardan and Takht Bhai which is being supplied to other parts of the country. The trading center of sugar and tobacco are situated at Rustam, Shahbaz Garhi, Mardan, Takht Bhai, Shergarh and Hathian.

Mining

Mineral play a vital role in the economy of a country and is a good and healthy source of income for the government. The province of NWFP is rich in different kind of minerals.

In Mardan district, commercial deposits of marble, Limestone, Dolomite and Granite exist. Veins of a good quality of Topaz, being a valuable gemstone have been found in the hillocks of Shaheed Ghundai snd Shamozai Katlang, Mardan. Nominal scattered deposits of Fuller Earth have also been prospected near the Indus river bank of Jehangira Swabi road. The different kinds of activities regarding prospecting mining and transportation of various major minerals are controlled in NWFP, under the NWFP Mining Concession Rules, 1976.

The activities of minor minerals including ordinary sand, bajri, gravel and ordinary stone are dealt with according to the NWFP (Minor Mineral) Mining Concession Rules. 1971.