PESHAWAR: The Swat Motorway will be fully operational by next June, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan was informed on Thursday.

The chief minister was chairing a meeting on the proposed Swat Motorway Phase II and Peshawar Dera Ismail Khan Motorway here, said a statement.

The relevant officials told the meeting that the lining of the Mardan-bound main motorway tunnel had been completed, while equipment installation was in progress.

They added that excavation in four auxiliary tunnels had been completed, whereas the lining was in progress.

The officials said the main alignment was expected to be opened to all types of traffic by the end of the current fiscal year.

CM says efforts on for industrialisation

They said the Swat Motorway Extension-I (48km) and Extension-II (36km) from Chakdara to Fatehpur had been included in the Public Sector Development Programme projects, while the commercial and financial feasibility for the project had been completed.

The officials said the complete feasibility, detailed design and commercial documents of the project had been shared with the National Highway Authority.

They said interchanges would be built along the 80km fenced road in Chakdara, Shamozai, Barikot, Mingora-Takhtaband, Kanju, Malam Jabba, Sher Palam, Matta Khwazakhela and Fatehpur.

The officials said the artery would have four lanes extendable up to six lanes with 13 main bridges.

They said 340 kilometers long Peshawar-DI Khan Motorway would have six lanes with three tunnels and that the project had been included in the PSDP with a consultant being hired to conduct design and commercial-cum-financial feasibility.

The officials said the final feasibility, including commercial-cum-financial outcome based on Public Private Partnership, would be presented before the relevant forum by June 30, 2020.

They said interchanges would be built in Peshawar, Mattani-Badaber, Dara Adamkhel, Kohat, Lachi Krappa-Hangu, Ahmadi Banda-Karbogha Sharif, Karak, Soor Daag-Lateamber, Bannu-Domail, Sara Naurang –Miran Shah, Lakki Marwat-Tajazai Ghazni Khel, Pezu-Tank, Yarik-Hakla and Dera Ismail Khan areas.

The chief minister said the government was committed to promoting industrialisation in the province and attracting investors by providing them with conducive environment for which the road infrastructure was being strengthened.

The officials also highlighted the 24 kilometers long Matta Fazal Banda Road in Swat district.

They said Rs480 million had been provided to the deputy commissioner for the Police Lines Flyover in Swat district.

The officials said a team of the Asian Development Bank was scheduled to visit Peshawar next Monday for the final selection of priority roads under the Provincial Roads Infrastructure Project from the proposed roads list.

The chief minister said all-out efforts were being made to make the province financially self-sustainable for which major reforms and projects were being carried out keeping in view their financial viability and returns.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2020