The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and officails of the United States on Wednesday took part in the symbolic ground breaking of a project to reconstruct 25-kilometer Peshawar Southern by-pass (Ring Road). The US financed project will provide $25 million in up grades to the important provincial thoroughfare and help improve security and increase economic development.
Among those taking parts in the ceremony were Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ameer Haider Khan Hoti, Senior Minister, Bashir Ahmad Bilour, US Deputy Assistant Secretary to State Brian Nichols and US Co-ordinator for Assistance and Development Ambassador Robin Raphel.
Construction has been started on the project, which will improve and widen Ring Road from two lanes to three lanes. Construction of service roads, green belts centre medians and drainage on both sides was also planned. Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Assistant Secretary Nichols said that when the project would complete, the traffic congestion will reduce, increase trade and commercial opportunities and improve access for law enforcement and emergency services to communities in the area.
The up gradation of the Ring Road is part of a broader effort to construct and rehabilitate roads across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the FATA. Over the past twenty years, the US has partnered with Pakistan to construct over 900 kilometers of roads in those areas.-PR