Kohsar Tourism Highway project hits snags

Cost of scheme connecting four hilly tehsils likely to rise past Rs5 billion

RAWALPINDI:

The under-construction state-of-the-art 132 kilometres long “Tourism Highway” project, which is labelled as the Kohsar Tourism Highway Corridor and aims to connect four hilly tehsils of the Rawalpindi district, has hit a snag because of the non-release of funds. The construction of an important thoroughfare with its defence significance has been stalled for the past three years.

The project was initiated on October 27, 2021, with its expected completion date of June 30, 2024. However, the road could not be completed due to the withholding of funds for several months. The total estimated cost of the project was Rs4.25 billion which is now expected to sell over Rs5b due to the surge in prices of essential construction materials like gravel and sand.

The zero point of the highway is Chowk Pindori which connects five hilly areas of Kallar Syedan, Kahuta, Kotli, Sattian, and Murree. The road goes one way from Murree to Azad Kashmir and ends at Lower Topa, Murree.

The Kohsar Tourism Highway Corridor, a flagship project initiated by former MNA Sadaqat Abbasi and funded by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government, has been stalled due to a sudden halt in funding.

Abbasi paid a visit to the road on Wednesday last and vehemently condemned the blocking of funds. He emphasised that this project was not just a road, but a game-changer for the region and demanded the federal government to release immediate funds to complete the project in the upcoming annual budget.

This critical project is part of a larger vision to connect 28 new tourist spots, boosting the region's economic potential. The corridor will link the northern belt of areas, including Murree, Galyat, and Kashmir, to Kahuta and Kallar Syedan, promoting tourism and development in these areas.

It’s part of this mega project to take the tourist traffic of the entire country from the confluence of the New GT Road, Peshawar, Lahore Motorway (M2) and Rawalpindi Ring Road through the most beautiful areas through Kahuta, Kotli Sattian, Patriata and Murree to Galyat, Kashmir and other northern areas.

This corridor also has the strategic advantage of connecting five major defence roads leading to Kashmir, which runs along the banks of the river Jhelum. This will significantly help transport meant for defence purposes, saving valuable time and resources.

Notably, the first phase of the Tourism Highway, spanning from Chowk Pindori to Bior, has already been completed and its quality could be compared to that of a national highway.

A detailed master plan of the entire area was devised to ensure sustainable development and avoid the pitfalls of unruly construction and traffic congestion, as seen in Murree. Tourists could be provided a tourist alternative full of beautiful natural scenery within an hour's distance from Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The benefits from this mega project are estimated in billions of rupees, appealing to both domestic and international tourists. The valuable natural assets, including mountains, dense forests, trees, wildlife, and breathtaking springs and waterfalls will not only generate employment opportunities but also significantly boost national income and contribute billions of rupees to the national kitty.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2024.