Entire Swat Expressway To Be Opened For Traffic Next Month; PC-I For 37 Km Chakdara-Mingora Section Approved

Work on 81- kilometer long Swat Expressway has entered into last stage of completion that would likely to be opened for traffic by the end of next month

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jul, 2020 ) :Work on 81- kilometer long Swat Expressway has entered into last stage of completion that would likely to be opened for traffic by the end of next month.

The main road, tunnels and bridges besides Chakdara interchange of Swat expressway (phase-l) have b�en completed and remain work was expected to be okayed by the end of August 2020, an official in KP Government told APP on Thursday.

The construction work on 1.2 kilometers long twin tunnels, 21 bridges and 25 acres service area on each side of the expressway, have been completed.

To take full advantage of the rich tourism potential of Khyber Pakthunkhwa, including seven districts of Malakand Division, the PTI Government had taken a principled decision to construct state-of-the-art Swat Expressway to explore the hidden treasures of Swat, Chitral, Dir Upper, Dir Lower, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Mohmand and Bajaur districts before the world.

Swat expressway commences from Karnal Sher Interchange in Swabi district on Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway and concludes at Chakdara in Dir Lower district after passing through 21 bridges and 1,300 meters long tunnels on National Highway N-45.

Upon completion, it would open up the entire Malakand division especially Swat, Dir, Chitral, Shangla and Bajaur districts for touism, trade and investment besides bring big boom to hotels, carpets and furniture industries.

Tourism industry has achieved remarkable progress in KP due PTI Govt friendly tourism policies where a record three million tourists had visted last year to enjoy the measmerizing natural beauty, waterfalls, lush green valleys and snowfalls in Hazara and Malakand divisions.

The official said work on the project was slightly delayed due to coronavirus, however now construction on the remaining portion was in full swing and the deadline given by the Government would be met.

Under phase II, the Swat Expressway would be extended from Chakdara to Mingora (37km) and its PC-I about purchase of land has been approved by by Central Devolopment Working Party (CDWP) and was sent to National Economic Council (NEC), Islamabad for final approval.

The project would significantly reduce the distance between Swat, Peshawar and Islamabad.

The motorway would be linked with Kalam and Behrain after completion of 36 kilometers road between the two breathtaking tourists resorts.

Former KP chief minister Pervez Khattak had performed the ground-breaking of four-lane 120 kilometers high speed fenced Swat Expressway on August 25, 2016.

It passed through difficult phases of tunneling, construction and land leveling, and finally its 51 kilometers patch from Karnal Sher Khan Swabi Interchange up to Katlang Mardan had been opened for vehicular traffic on May 21, 2018.

It is presently four lanes that will be later converted into a six- lane motorway, the official said.

Being declared an environmentally safe project, traffic movement on the expressway would be monitored through an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) and prompt help would be provided to commuters in case of road mishaps.

The project would give a direct access to all seven districts of Malakand Division to down districts of KP, reducing problems of traffic, congestion, vehicle operating costs (VDCs), time, and would promote agricultural economy and social harmony.

It would help connect Chitral through Lowari Tunnel and onward linking it with Afghanistan, Tajkistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs) route that would make Pakistan a hub of business, trade and tourism.

He said extra care has been adopted in disbursement of payment to the land owners and the process was transparently done through deputy commissioners, revenue and other govt officials concerned.

All tourists' sites would be connected to Swat Expressway to be manned by tourism police, the official concluded.