Work in progress on roads to tourist spots, meeting told

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is constructing different roads to ensure easy access to the tourist destinations which would cost Rs13 billion.

This was told in a progress review meeting of the Tourism Department held here on Friday with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair, said a handout.

Under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Integrated Tourism Development (KITE) project, two important projects including Mankyal to Bada Sehri road and Thandiani road were in progress which would be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs4631 million and Rs3182 million respectively.

The participants of the meeting were informed that work on various approach roads to the tourist destinations in the Hazara division was going on which would be completed at a cumulative cost of Rs4.6 billion.

It was informed that the construction of the approach road to the Sheikh Badin tourist site was progressing. Four Integrated Tourism Zones are being established in the province including Thandiani (Abbottabad), Mankyal (Swat), Ghanol (Mansehra) and Madaklasht (Chitral).

It was told that 150 prefabricated washrooms were being installed in the different tourism areas out of which installation of 35 units has been completed thus far. Two ambulances and one fire fighting vehicle have been provided to each tourist centre.

The chief minister directed the official to make Special Development Authorities operational as soon as possible. He directed the relevant officials to ensure safety measures for boating in rivers and dams.