Dir motorway project approved

ISLAMABAD: Dir Motorway project worth Rs38.9 billion has been approved by Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec).

Dir motorway project. Presided over by Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, the meeting was attended by Planning and Development Minister Asad Umar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Taimur Khan Jhagra and federal secretaries.

Ecnec considered a total of three projects, including two worth Rs315.5bn for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The motorway, sponsored by the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to be executed by the Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority (PHA)is worth Rs38.991bn.

The project envisages construction of 29.377km-long, four-lane dual carriageway which starts from Chakdara and ends at Rabat.

The scope of the work includes construction of bridges, tunnels, underpasses and cross-road flyovers. The entire project is located in the Lower Dir region of KP. The project will enhance road connectivity and promote tourism.

The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has expressed a desire for including Dir Motorway in CPEC projects, and extend the route to China.