PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan has termed the construction of Yarik-Bannu Link Road of vital importance for the development of the southern districts of the province and said that it will boost trade activities besides providing comfortable transportation facilities to people of Bannu, Karak, Waziristan and adjoining areas.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Private Partnership Committee accorded approval to the commercial cum financial feasibility for Yarik–Bannu link Road on Public Private Partnership mode, which met here on Friday with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair.

While briefing the forum on various aspects of Yarik-Bannu Link Road, it was said that the 42km long Yarik-Bannu Link Road will be constructed from Indus Highway to Kallur connecting Hakla-Yarik Di Khan motorway.

It will incur an estimated cost of Rs15.6 billion including the land acquisition cost. Other features of the two-lane link road include construction of two flyovers, three RCC bridges, and two interchanges.

Addressing the participants, the Chief Minister said that the incumbent provincial government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is improving the network of roads infrastructure across the province with the aim to make Khyber Pakhtunkhwa a transit hub and making it a center for trade activities. He directed the quarters concerned to expedite physical work on Swat Motorway Phase 2 and ensure achievement of targets as per stipulated timelines.

The Chief Minister said that the development of Malakand region is directly associated with Swat Motorway Phase 2, which will prove to be a game changer in exploiting the tourism potential in the region. He added that the said project is equally important for the population on both sides of the Swat river, which on completion will usher in a new era of development in the area.

According to details, the 80km long Swat Motorway Phase 2 is being constructed from Chakdara Interchange to Fatehpur. Initially, Swat Motorway Phase 2 will consist of 4 lanes which will be extendable to six lanes. Other features of the project include construction of nine interchanges, eight bridges on the Swat River and link roads on need basis.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022