South Korea would provide a loan of $78million for the construction of tunnel in Malakand Pass, an official of National highway Authority (NHA) told journalists on Wednesday. As per the feasibility study the proposed south portal of the Malakand Tunnel is located near Jabban Hydropower, whereas the north portal is located in Pirano Kalay before Batkhela.
He said that the PC-1 of the project based on preliminary design was approved by Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in May 2011. However, the project could not materialize due to non-availability of funds. He said that loan agreement has been signed in December, 2012 between Economic Affairs Division and EXIM Bank of Korea for US $78million. To a question he said that increase in cost of the project will be determined after detailed designing of the project.
He said that the construction of Malakand tunnel would not only shorten distance for travellers belonging to Dir, Malakand, Swat and adjacent areas but also provide Pakistani goods an easy access to Central Asian states. The 9.7km project includes three bridges and approach roads on both sides of the tunnel. The Malakand tunnel project would also reduce pressure of traffic on Torkham Road because it would link Dir-Chitral with Tajikistan and other Central Asian Republics. A Korean Company, M/s Chunil, prepared the feasibility study of the 2.9 kilometre-long tunnel. Malakand Pass lies between Dargai-Batkhela and is situated at an altitude of 470 metres and 663 metres, respectively.
The feasibility conducted by South Korean firm M/s Chunil Engineering Consultants studied three alignments. The recommended alignment envisages Dargai as starting point of the tunnel and Batkhela as end point. It also envisages road tunnels of 3.172km, two-lane 8.663km road and three bridges of 152.5 metres on each carriageway.
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