CM wants progress on tourism-related road projects ensured

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed the quarters concerned to ensure physical progress on new and ongoing road projects aimed at promotion of tourism activities in the province.

He issued the directives while chairing a meeting regarding construction of access roads to tourism sites, said a handout. Besides Provincial Minister Ishtiaq Urmar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Amjad Ali Khan, administrative secretaries and other officials attended the meeting.

The meeting was briefed about tourism-related road projects reflected in the Annual Development Programme (ADP).

The meeting was told that work on various projects of roads with billions of rupees was underway in different regions of the province, especially in Malakand and Hazara region, to facilitate the tourists. It was informed that construction of 11 different tourism roads in Malakand division was in progress with revised estimated cost of Rs.4812 million.

Similarly, in order to improve accessibility to tourism sites in Hazara division, work on six different roads was also underway, which would cost Rs4655 million. Moreover, construction of an approach road to the historic tourist site of southern region, Sheikh Badin, was also reflected in current ADP having an estimated cost Rs 3 billion.

The meeting was told that under the Integrated Development Project, work on two different schemes was also in progress which included improvement and rehabilitation of 24 Km long Abbottabad to Thandiani and 23 Km long Mankial to Bada Sarai roads, the estimated cost of these schemes is Rs.2584 million and Rs 3480 million, respectively.