Tourist spots to be connected with motorways

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has embarked upon an inclusive plan to link remote and inaccessible tourist sites with motorways and highways in order to take full advantage of the Malakand and Hazara tourism potential and reduce load on the popular sites.

Khawazakhela, the most scenic town of Swat district having lush green valleys, waterfalls and snow-clad mountains would be connected with Besham Shangla district through a motorway to open all these scenic areas to tourists and adventure sports lovers.

The provincial government has planned construction of Khawazakhela-Besham Motorway to bolster tourism, industrialization and regional connectivity in the province.

An official of Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority (PkHA) told APP on Wednesday that the government has allocated Rs24 million for feasibility, design and construction of the mega project out of which Rs12 million is earmarked for current fiscal year.

Khawazakhela and Besham would be onward linked to Swat Motorway that will turn the entire Malakanad division as a hub of trade, business and tourism. The planning for Swat Motorway (Phase-II) is in advance stage and civil work on it is expected to start by December next month.

To take full advantage of the mega project, he said, Khawazakhela Bypass Road would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs400 million including allocation of Rs20 million for current financial year. Similarly, feasibility study and construction of 2.5 kilometers Chupryal Bypass Road in Swat district would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs400 million out of which Rs20 million would be spent in fiscal year 2021-22.

Construction work on Kandia Road in Upper Kohistan district amounting to Rs3.8 billion, Beer-Kalangir road in Haripur district costing Rs1.2 billion, construction of flyover at Kulader Chowk Charsadda worth Rs1.05 billion and dualization of Swabi Jehangira Road costing Rs3.6 billion was expedited, which after completion would help benefit hundreds of thousands of people besides bolstering regional connectivity and opening up new scenic areas for tourists and adventure sports lovers.