Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan has said that work on Hazara Expressway (E-35) will start in December this year, while the work on Lowari Tunnel will begin next week. He said this while briefing the members of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly at a meeting held under the Chairmanship of Speaker Provincial Assembly Kiramatullah Khan. The meeting was also attended by the Chairman and other officials of NHA.
The minister told the meeting that Hazara Expressway, which will provide an alternate route to the people of Abbotabad will cost Rs 46.8 billion. Work on Hassanabdal-Hawelian Section will start in December this year, he added. He said that the second phase of the project (Hawelian to Mansehra) was in process of land acquisition and the NHA needed another Rs 2 billion to complete the acquisition.
The minister said that despite difficulties and financial hardships, NHA was striving hard to give equitable funds to all the provinces. The members of the Provincial Assembly expressed confidence in NHA and said that the authority was performing well under the leadership of Dr Arbab Alamgir. The Speaker of the Assembly appreciated the minister's commitment to work and said that during his tenure NHA had completed many projects in province.