Rs560m approved for Mansehra road projects: MNA

MANSEHRA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved Rs560 million for the construction of two bridges in Balakot and a natural gas supply scheme for Shinkiari and Dodial areas.

“Work on these three projects will shortly be started as the tendering process is in the final stage,” MNA Saleh Mohammad Khan told reporters here on Saturday.

He said that Rs250 million had been sanctioned for the supply of the natural gas to areas in Shinkiari and Dodial.

“Two concrete bridges would be constructed at River Kunhar with Rs310 million to link hundreds of villages with Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad road,” he added.

He said that currently two suspension bridges were in a dilapidated condition and their planks were broken being used by the almost half of Balakot’s population to come onto MNJ road putting their lives into danger.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf lawmaker said that more such schemes and projects were also sanctioned by the government for other parts of his constituency, NA-13.

“The government has also sanctioned Rs80 million for Garhi-Garlat road, which would also shorten the current travel time between two major cities in the Balakot Tehsil,” the MNA said.

Exams delayed: District Education Officer (Female) Nagmana Sardar has said that examinations, earlier scheduled to be held in December this year, would now be held in January next year because schools have been closed because of coronavirus.

She said that though students couldn’t attend classes in accordance with vacations schedule announced by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in light of the second wave of Covid-19 in the country, she had directed teachers and other staff to be present at the schools from November 26 to December 23 to guide students either to attend online classes or avail the opportunities on specified days to collect the homework.

“I have also directed the head teacher and principals to ensure that standard operational procedures are strictly followed when students come to schools for the homework,” she said.

The DEO said that though students were directed to take online classes during their vacations, around 30 percent students whose villages and localities were without internet coverage could stay at hostels of their respective schools till December 23.