ECNEC okays Shandur, Lowari tunnel access roads projects

ISLAMABAD, (APP): The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved projects worth billions of rupees relating to energy, education, communication, food security and agriculture sectors of the country. 

Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar chaired the ECNEC meeting, according to press statement issued by the finance ministry here. 

Among others, the committee approved a project of Ministry of Communication on Improvement and widening of Chitral–Booni–Mastuj–Shandur Road (153 kms) at a rationalized cost of Rs17,783.193 million. 

The project will be completed in 36 months while the revised project envisages construction of 153 kms long two–lane single carriageway starting from Chitral city, passes through the towns of Booni and Mastuj and ends near Shandur at the border of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.  

The executive body also approved revised Lowari road tunnel and access roads project at the total rationalized cost of Rs27,960.48 million with FEC of Rs4,273.970 million.

Lowari tunnel is part of National Highway’ N-45. 

N-5 originates at Nowshera, passes through Mardan, Malakand, Chakdara and culminates at Chitral town while the project is located between the townships of Dir and Drosh connecting districts of Dir and Chitral.

The project comprises two tunnels of length 8.5 km and 1,9 km, four bridges in tunnel complex two portals and link access roads along with bridges.