Key Takeaways
- Construction has started on a seven-kilometer road project in Mansehra.
- The project aims to connect the Hazara Expressway and Karakoram Highway.
- Rs. 600 million has been allocated for the development of the road.
Work has commenced on a significant road project in Mansehra, which is expected to enhance connectivity and ease traffic congestion in the region. Mohammad Bilal, a sub-divisional officer of the Communication and Works (C&W) Department, informed reporters that the project, funded with Rs. 600 million, will span seven kilometers and will link the Hazara Expressway and the Karakoram Highway with the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.
The project is designed to provide easier access to the Kaghan Valley for tourists and travelers. Assistant Commissioner Mansehra, Sana Fatima, led a joint team from the district administration and the C&W Department to review the construction progress. Fatima emphasized the need to expedite the work under the annual development program.
The road will divert traffic away from Mansehra city, thereby reducing congestion. It will also facilitate travel for people coming from across the country through the Hazara Expressway and the Karakoram Highway to Balakot tehsil, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan via the Kaghan Valley.
During the site visit, the team also reviewed the payments for land acquired for the project and discussed other related issues. Bilal highlighted that the road will pass through the New Balakot City housing project, which was developed for families displaced by the 2005 earthquake in Balakot’s red-zone area.
The project is part of the broader efforts to improve infrastructure and connectivity in the region, which has been a priority for the government. The new road is expected to boost economic activities and tourism in the area, contributing to the overall development of the region.
