The Executive Board of National Highway Authority (NHA) approved PC-1 for widening and improvement of Chitral-Shandur Road with an estimated project cost of Rs 19 billion. The approval was accorded in a board meeting held with Chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarar in the chair here on Thursday. The board also approved NHA Annual Maintenance Plan for 2017-18 and increase in house ceiling for the employees.

The meeting was told that 153km long project will consist of 02 lanes with 100m right of way and would be completed in four sections: Section 1, Chitral-Pret (39km); Section II, Pret-Booni (40km); Section III, Booni-Shaidas (38km); and Section IV, Shaidas-Shandur (35km).

The projected road starts from Chitral and runs towards north parallel to Mastuj/Kunhar River till Booni. It crosses the towns of Mori Payeen, Maroi, Pret, Barenis, Green Lasht, Reshun, Cherun, and Jonali Cooch and reaches Booni. From Booni, the alignment turns towards east and reaches Mastuj after crossing Parwak. From Mastuj it turns towards south and then runs parallel to Laspur River to meet Shandur passing through Onshit, Shaidas, Ghast, Raman, Harchin, Brook, Balim and Surlaspur.

The existing road surface is not in a good condition and does not have enough width, causing frequent accidents on the road. Moreover, the recent floods and 2005 earthquake also adversely affected it in various reaches. The improvement of the project road which is a vital link between two major national highways, N-45 and N-35, will boost the economy of the country especially in perspective of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It will serve as an alternate route for CPEC during winter season when Silk Route is closed due to snowfall. The construction of 23 major bridges would also be part of the project. The meeting was also informed that Rs 200 million have been earmarked for the project in the current financial year.

The Executive Board also approved PC-1 for construction and repair of following 04 bridges along with the approach roads in Chitral, damaged by floods and earthquake in 2015 at an estimated cost of Rs 545 million. Muzhgole Bridge (60m) with approach road (0.5km), Osaik Bridge (90m) with approach road (0.8km), Pokel Bridge (45m) with approach road (0.4km) and repair of Churan Bridge.

The board has increased house ceiling for scale 1-6 to Rs 10,000 for NHA employees, sources said. Earlier, scale 1-3 had house ceiling of Rs 5,000, while for 4-6 it was Rs 7,000.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017