KPHC approves provincialisation of two more roads

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Council (KPHC) on Saturday formally approved the provincialisation of two more roads as well as annual maintenance plan of Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority (PKHA) for the year 2020-21.

The 19th meeting of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Council was held here with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair, said a handout. Minister for Environment Ishtiaq Urmar, Special Assistant to chief minister on Local Government, Kamran Bangash, Additional Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir, Secretary Finance Atif Rehman, Secretary Communication & Works Ijaz Hussain Ansari and other officials concerned attended the meeting. The chief minister directed the high ups of PKHA to ensure implementation of the annual maintenance plan in its letter and spirit as per the given timelines, stressing not to carry out any new construction work under the maintenance plan.

The meeting was given a detailed presentation about the implementation status of the decisions taken in the last meeting of the council, achievements, details of the provincial roads, development portfolio under the new ADP and budget of PKHA and other allied matters.

The meeting was informed that besides construction of new highways and roads, PKHA is entrusted with the task of maintenance/repair of 46 different provincial highways infrastructure with a total length of 3099 kilometers inclusive of the 383 kilometers long highways of merged areas. The meeting approved provicialisation of 34 kilometers long Kalam-Mahodhand Road as (S-18) and 63 kilometers Abbottabad-Sherwan-Beer Road as (S-12-C). Provincialisation of these roads will help boost tourism activities by as well as mining activities through the availability of better road infrastructures. The meeting also approved budget of PKHA worth Rs.4414 million for the financial year 2020-21. The meeting also approved in principle upgradation of five Re-Engineers of PKHA.