Hindered venture: Funds for Lowari Tunnel’s completion ‘inadequate’

Delayed project nowhere near completion, parliamentarian calls for further investment.

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) parliamentary secretary in the provincial assembly Saleem Khan on Wednesday  termed the allocation of Rs1 billion for the construction of Lowari Tunnel “inadequate”.

Addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, Khan said the 8.5-kilometre-long tunnel is being constructed to provide an all-weather land route to landlocked Chitral district, specifically during winter.

Saleem Khan, who was elected member of provincial assembly from PK-89, Chitral is the PPP’s district president.

Khan said that with the meagre allocation of Rs1 billion it may take more than 20 years for the project to be completed and will also result in a cost overrun. “The tunnel is not only important for the people of Chitral, rather, it will be Pakistan’s gateway to the Central Asian Republics (CARs),” he said.

Khan added initially the cost of the project was Rs8 billion; however, now its cost had amounted to Rs18 billion and at the present pace it will run into Rs24 billion.

He demanded an immediate allocation of Rs5 billion for the project’s timely completion. Answering a question about why such a vital project was ignored during the five-year tenure of the PPP government, Khan claimed the project was not ignored, rather, the volatile law and order situation in Malakand division and re-designing of the tunnel led to delays in its completion.



According to Khan, the Korean company which is constructing the tunnel could not continue work on the project due to the deteriorating security situation in the region, while the project design has changed as well, leading to more delays.

Saleem also criticised the late removal of snow from Lowari Top. He said that usually Lowari Top was opened in April after the removal of snow and Rs40 million is allocated for this purpose, adding that this time around the snow was not removed from the mountain top, instead, it melted away by June when the roads were opened for traffic.

He demanded an inquiry into the delay of the removal of snow despite allocation of money. He also asked the National Highway Authority (NHA) to take notice of individuals constructing bridges on small streams on the northern side of the tunnel and collecting money from transporters. “To maintain these roads and bridges is the NHA’s responsibility and it should immediately stop people from collecting fees,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^th, 2013.