Road scheme to help develop K-P’s south
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has termed the construction of Yarik-Bannu Link Road of vital importance for the development of the southern districts of the province, saying the road 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 on Friday approved the commercial-cum-financial feasibility for Yarik-Bannu Road on public private partnership mode, at a meeting in Peshawar with chief minister in the chair.
While briefing the forum on various aspects of Yarik-Bannu Link Road, it was revealed that the 42-kilometer Yarik-Bannu Road will be constructed from Indus Highway to Kallur connecting Hakla-Yarik DI Khan motorway. It will cost an estimated Rs15.6 billion, including the land acquisition price.
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 provincial government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is improving the road infrastructure across the province with the aim to make K-P a transit hub and making it a centre for trade activities.
He directed expediting work on Swat Motorway Phase II and ensuring achievement of targets as per stipulated timelines. The chief minister said that the development of Malakand region is directly associated with Swat Motorway Phase II 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.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 3rd, 2022.