Incomplete tunnel

It is shocking to know that the strategic Lowari Tunnel is still incomplete. The tunnel has been under construction since 2005 and the authorities have spent around Rs27 billion on its construction. While most of the work is complete, it is still not open for commuters who are travelling to Chitral. The reason for the long delay in its completion is that the government has abruptly stopped releasing the required funds. In 2020, under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), the government had allocated Rs200 million for the timely completion of the tunnel, but no funds have been released to date. It is also important to mention that the total cost of construction has run over the estimate once again and has reached Rs46.04 billion, according to the third revised PC-1.

The federal government should take notice of this situation, and ensure that necessary funds are released for the completion of the tunnel on a priority basis. The construction has to be completed by summer. Otherwise, the work will have to be paused once again due to harsh weather conditions in the area in winter. This delay in the completion of the tunnel is badly affecting trade and tourism activities in the region.

Hussain Siddiqui

Islamabad