Second lane: Work resumes on 2nd lane of Torkham-Jalalabad road

Officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan jointly inaugurate the project

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Monday began construction work on the long awaited additional carriageway of the Torkham-Jalalabad Road.

The project was jointly inaugurated by the acting governor of Nangarhar, Muhammad Hanif Gardiwal, Deputy Public Works Minister Noor Mengal and FWO Director General Maj-Gen Muhammad Afzal and Pakistan Ambassador Syed Abrar Hussain, a statement issued by the Embassy of Pakistan in Kabul said.

The construction of the second lane of the highway was suspended since 2006, among other reasons, due to shortage of funds, the statement said.

The two countries had agreed to start construction of the second lane during the visit to Islamabad by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in November. In January this year the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved construction of 73.67-km-long additional carriageway of Torkham-Jalalabad Road.

Speaking on the occasion, Gardiwal said that the highway will further strengthen the deep rooted ties between the two brotherly countries. “We are grateful to the government and people of Pakistan for the gift of this road and improved facilities of communication will further strengthen the bonds of friendship,” he said.

FWO Director General Maj-Gen Muhammad Afzal told the inaugural ceremony in Jalalabad that the project will cost almost seven billion rupees. He also assured that all possible efforts would be made to complete the road well in time according to international standards, the statement said.

The DG FWO said that the 75-km long, two-lane additional carriageway will be constructed along the existing one which was completed back in 2006 by FWO. Entire cost of road construction will be borne by Pakistan.  Total width of this road will now be expanded to 14.6 meter into a four-lane carriageway. The highway will be constructed at par with the international standards to cater for all types of heavy traffic. Seven bridges and six underpasses are a part of the project to ensure smooth flow of traffic, the DG added according to the statement.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2015.