Construction work of Islamabad-Muzaffarabad Highway (N-75) is in progress and its first 43-kilometre portion will be opened for traffic by the end of current year, sources in National Highway Authority (NHA), Ministry of Communications told APP on Sunday.
"The highway is of strategic importance and links Islamabad, with Azad Jammu and Kashmir Capital, Muzaffarabad. Under the first phase, a four-lane divided carriageway that links Satrameel (Islamabad) and Lower Topa in Murree Hills is being constructed by a local contractor and over 80 percent work has been completed", the sources said. Its scope of work includes construction of five bridges and 200 cross-drainage structures.
After opening of N-75, he added, the distance between Islamabad and Murree would be reduced to just 43 kilometres and the journey time would be halved from 1.5 hours to only 45 minutes.
Japan government is providing assistance for the construction of 65-kilometre stretch of Islamabad-Muzaffarabad dual-carriageway between Lower Topa and Kohala Bridge, the sources told.
"The bends in this piece of road will be removed and all dilapidated bridges will be constructed anew. After realignment and reconstruction of this stretch of the road, the journey time between Islamabad and Muzaffarabad will be reduced from 4.5 hours to 3.5 hours," the sources added.