Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Over 35 percent of work on the up-gradation of Lawrancepure-Tarbella Road having an allocation of Rs1,830million, has been completed by the Federal Government in Hazara division while Swat Motorway Phase-II in Malakand division costing Rs 58 billion was ready for the groundbreaking.

Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority (PkHA) officials told APP on Thursday that construction work on up-gradation and rehabilitation of Lawrancepur-Tarbella Road having a 24.5 kilometers’ length was in full swing and over 35 percent of work has been completed so far by the contractor.

“We have issued clear instructions to the contractor to complete the project by June 30 next year without compromising quality and standards,” the official said, adding the total cost of the project is Rs1830.202 million including an allocation of Rs500 million for the current fiscal year while its blacktopping has continued with a fast pace.

Likewise, papers and technical work of Swat Motorway Phase-II have almost been completed and ready for groundbreaking after the signing of the landmark agreement between PkHA and a private company.

The 80kilometers long Swat Motorway Phase-II would commence from Chakdara and culminate at Fatehpur Madain Swat, adding the project would be completed with an estimated cost of Rs58billion including land acquisition’s cost.

Swat Motorway Phase-II would be constructed under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode having nine interchanges at Chakdara, Shamozai, Barikot, Mingora, Kanju, Malam Jabba, University of Swat, Sher Palam, Matta Khawazakhela, and Madian Fatehpur, adding these interchanges would be constructed about 10 kilometers distance.

“Another mega project for people of Malakand Division is Dir Motorway having a length of 29.377kilometers,” he said, adding the project would start from Chakdara Lower Dir to Rabat Upper Dir that would be completed with a proposed cost of Rs35.5 billion. “Dir Motorway would be initially four lanes and later would be converted into six lanes full-fledged motorway.”

He said Expression of interest (EOIs) has been sought from the reputed domestic and foreign firms, joint ventures,s and consortia for its construction under public-private partnership mode.

The commercial-cum-feasibility study of Dir Expressway has been completed and approved by ECNEC on September 12, 2021, besides discussed at the 10th Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on September 23, 2021.

Dir Motorway would have two tunnels including one of 625 kilometers and another 6.32 kilometers in length besides three interchanges, four each overpass and flyovers, 24 bridges, two tunnels, and two underpasses.

Feasibility study and construction of link road connecting Peshawar to Swat Motorway via Charsadda is underway while NESPAK is assigned the task of conducting its commercial and financial study.

The project on completion would help bolster regional connectivity between Peshawar and Malakand divisions besides promoting honey, furniture, sugar, and others trade in the province.

He said construction and blacktopping of Manglawar to Malam Jabba Road in Swat having 35 kilometers length has been completed. Similarly, feasibility study and construction of road from Chukiathan to Sheringal and Patrak having 36 kilometers length in Dir Upper and dualization of Muree CHowk to Thandyani Chowk and Nawasher link road in Abbottabad was also completed.

These projects on completion would help accelerate the pace of socio-economic development in KP especially in Hazara and Malakand divisions besides alleviating poverty and generating hundreds of thousands of jobs for people, he concluded.