Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) 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 on Tuesday that in KPK work on Hassanabdal-Mansehra Expressway (E-35) was in full swing which was 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-kilometre-long Pak-China Friendship Tunnels, two big and 78 small bridges.
Similarly, work on Jhalkhad-Chilas (N-15), Thakot-Raikot (N-35, 147 km), Nowshera-Chakdara-Dir (N-45) and Peshawar Northern Bypass was in full swing, he added.
Moreover, he said work on Burhan-DI Khan, Jaglot-Skardu (S-1, 164 km), Havelian-Thakot (N-35, 120 km) and Chakdara-Mangora-Fatehpur (N-95, 82 km) sections was 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 volumes about the priority being attached by the government to the province. He said for construction of Islamabad-Mianwali-DI Khan Highway to be built as part of CPEC Rs 10,000 million had been allocated.
Rupees 2,000 million have been allocated for rehabilitation of DI Khan-Mughalkot section of N-50. He said Rs 10,000 million had been allocated for land acquisition and construction of western alignment and other C-PEP projects.
For northern alignment of the C-PEC, he said Rs 2,300 million had 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 had been allocated. For Lowari Tunnel, Rs 2,000 million have been allocated and Rs 1,000 million have been earmarked for Peshawar Northern Bypass.
Moreover, he said the NHA had spent Rs 3.477 billion approximately on maintenance of roads in Khyber Pakhunkhwa under Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP) in past two years.
He said 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 for rehabilitation of NHA Highways Network damaged during floods 2010, Rs 500 million had been allocated in the current fiscal year.
In the roads being rehabilitated under this project, Madyan-Kalam section of Chakdara-Kalam Highway (N-95), Ramak-DI Khan-Kohat-Peshawar section of Indus Highway (N-55), and Naran-Jalkhad-Chilas section of Mansehra-Chilas Highway (N-15) fall in KPK.