Bolstering tourism: Gohmrat valley to be made tourist-friendly resort

Rs1 billion earmarked for Chokyatan-Shringal Road.

PESHAWAR:

Keeping in view the lush green brooks of Gohmrat valley in Lower Dir district, the provincial government has decided to make it a tourists-friendly resort.

A total of Rs1 billion has been allocated for construction of Chokyatan-Shringal Road to bolster tourism in the district, the Khyber-Pakthunkhwa (K-P) Minister for Technical Education, Manpower Training, Mines and Mineral Development, Nawabzada Mehmood Zeb told APP on Sunday. The minister said that construction of Shringal road would help bolster tourism activities in Lower Dir, and specifically Ghormat valley, which is an attractive destination for people interested in tourism.

Zeb said that apart from funds allocated for Shringal Road, Rs400 million have been allocated for the construction of Chakdara bridge under the Annual Development Programme to provide better communication facilities and bolster tourism in the province. The minister said that many projects have been initiated to fully tap K-P’s rich tourism, oil, gas, mineral and hydel potential.

Highlighting developments made in the province, he said a number of polytechnic institutes and colleges throughout the provinces have been started to promote technical education in K-P. He termed the new fiscal budget as K-P-friendly and growth-oriented.

He informed that Rs5.8 billion have been allocated for 10 ongoing and two new schemes of the Technical Education, Mines, Mineral and Power Trainings department.  To ward off floods, protection wall on River Punjgora would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs450 million, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 4^th, 2011.