Islamabad, Oct 3: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a grant of $320 million to rehabilitate roads in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, following the devastating effects of heavy monsoon rains that caused nearly 350 fatalities and hundreds of injuries across Pakistan, particularly in KP and Punjab.
The K-P Rural Roads Development Project will use the funds to upgrade approximately 900 kilometers of flood-affected rural roads. The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) will oversee the implementation of this important project.
ADB Director General for Central and West Asia, Yevgeniy Zhukov, emphasized the project’s significance, stating, “Road transport is both a lifeline to the people and a key component of socioeconomic development in Pakistan.
This vital infrastructure project will reduce travel time, lower transportation costs, and increase access to economic opportunities for millions of residents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
In December 2023, ADB also approved three additional projects totaling $658.8 million focused on enhancing Pakistan’s domestic resource mobilization, rehabilitating schools damaged by the August 2022 floods, and boosting agricultural productivity to improve food security.
ADB has been actively involved in various initiatives, including the K-P Cities Improvement Project, aimed at supporting the province’s development and recovery efforts.
