Chitral-Gilgit expressway project welcomed

GILGIT: The approval of the Chitral-Gilgit expressway project has been appreciated by the people of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltsitan.

Local media reported that the federal government would provide Rs820 million to the Gilgit-Baltistan government for the construction of the expressway. The project is part of a plan to connect Gilgit-Baltistan with the rest of the country through three major highways to lessen the dependence on the KKH.

The expressway would be of strategic importance as it would be used as an alternative in case the Karakorum Highway is closed for any reason in future. The government plans to turn the Gilgit-Shandur-Chitral road into a major highway under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

People here are of the view that an easy access between Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral would also bring the people of the two areas closer, promoting their identical culture and traditions to a new height. It may be noted that the federal government had approved the widening of the highway about five years ago after the 2010 floods damaged about 50 kilometers portion of the road.

However, despite approval of the project by ECNEC, the previous government could not start work on the vital project. The recent devastating floods in Chitral further damaged the road.

The construction of the highway would also bring more employment opportunities to the area as thousands of tourists flock Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral every year, especially on the occasion of the annual Shandur festival.