KP gets major share in NHA road development projects

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has got the major share in the road infrastructure development schemes undertaken by the National Highway Authority (NHA) with 11 projects. An official source told APP Tuesday that in KPK, work on Hassanabdal-Mansehra Expressway (E-35) was in full swing which is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said completion of E-35 would bring about progress and prosperity in the area. The project, he said, would reduce to travel time from Rawalpindi/Islamabad to Mansehra by an hour. He said that Attaabad Barrier Lake (N-35) had been successfully completed.

A 24-kilometre stretch of KKH, which was constructed by China at a cost of Rs 27.5 billion alongside the lake in Hunza Valley, included five seven-kilometer-long Pak-China Friendship Tunnels, two big and 78 small bridges. Similarly, work on Jhalkhad-Chilas (N-15), Thakot-Raikot (N-35, 147 km),NowsheraChakdara-Dir (N-45) and Peshawar Northern Bypass was in full swing, he added.

Moreover, he said work on BurhanD.I.Khan, Jaglot-Skardu (S-1,164 km), Havelian-Thakot (N-35, 120 km) and ChakdaraMangora-Fatehpur (N-95, 82 km) sections were expected to start soon.

The above mentioned schemes, on completion, would not only fulfill the primary objective of establishing an efficient transport and communication network but also enhance the national harmony through a qualitative change in the socio-economic condition of the people of the province, he added. He said that allocations for NHA's KPK in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) spoke vol- umes about the priority being attached by the government to the province. He said that for construction of Islamabad-Mianwali-D.I.Khan Highway to be built as part of CPEC Rs 10,000 million had been allocated. Rs 2,000 million have been allocated for rehabilitation of D.I.Khan-Mughalkot section of N-50. He said that Rs 10,000 have been allocated for land acquisition and construction of Western alignment and other C-PEP projects.

As far as northern alignment of the CPEC, he said Rs 2,300 million have been allocated for Burhan-Havelian Expressway (E-35). For 120 km construction of Thakot-Havelian section of E-35 Rs 20,500 million have been allocated while for land acquisition of the project Rs 5,000 million have been earmarked.

He said for Nowshehra-Chitral Highway (Takht Bhai Flyover) Rs 200 million have been allocated. For Lowari Tunnel Rs 2,000 million have been allocated and Rs 1000 million have been earmarked for Peshawar Northern Bypass.

Moreover, he said that the NHA has spent Rs.3.477 billion approximately on maintenance of roads in Khyber Pakhunkhwa under Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP) in past two years. He said that in financial year 2013-14 Rs.1.378 billion were spent in KPK, while in fiscal year 2014-15 Rs.2.099 billion were spent. He said that for rehabilitation of NHA Highways Network damaged during Floods 2010 Rs 500 million have been allocated in the current fiscal year. In the roads being rehabilitated under this project Madyan-Kalam section of Chakdara-Kalam Highway ( N95),Ramak-D.I. Khan-Kohat-Peshawar section of Indus Highway (N-55) and Naran-JalkhadChilas section of Mansehra-Chilas Highway (N-15) fall in KPK.