ISLAMABAD – National Highway Authority (NHA) has planned to build a 216kilometre Gilgit-Shandoor road to provide an alternate route to ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Talking to APP here Monday, an official of NHA said that project formingpart of the Gilgit-Shandoor-Chitral road which would provide an alternativeroute to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). He said that detaildesign and feasibility study of the Shandoor-Chitral section has beencompleted whilepre-feasibility study for Gilgit-Shandoor section has been completed.
The official said that new road will be an all-weather road and so that itcould provide an alternative route to CPEC during the winter season.Moreover, it will provide another route to Chitral other than the LowariTunnel. The estimated cost of 345 kilometre road is Rs 45 billion.
In the 6th JCC of CPEC held in 2016, it was agreed to include Chitral CPECroad from Gilgit,Shandoor,Chitral to Chakdara in CPEC portfolio. He saidthat the road starts from Gilgit town located on Indus Highway and ends atChitral town located at Nowshera-Chitral Highway. He said that thefeasibility study of 148 km Shandoor-Chitral section has already beencompleted whereas the process of feasibility study and preliminary designof he remaining 216 km section Gilgit-Shandoor section will be done in nearfuture for execution of the project under the CPEC umbrella.
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About the present condition of the road , he said it was constructed in2002 by the provincial government but its sharp curves and steep gradientmake movement of traffic difficult and unsuitable for heavy traffic. Aboutthe objectives of the project, he said that it would connect adjoiningareas and valleys, will help boost tourism and create new job opportunitiesfor local residents.
The project will provide better communication system to the people of thearea and after completion of Lowari tunnel, this road shall serve as analternate to Karakorum Highway. and create new job opportunities for localresidents. The project providing better communication system to the peopleof the area and after completion of Lowari tunnel, this road shall serve asan alternate to Karakorum Highway.
