Islamabad, Aug 21: A committee headed by Shandana Gulzar, a member of the National Assembly, has been established by the Peshawar District Administration to resolve the issues causing the Peshawar-Torkham Expressway project to be delayed. Within 72 hours, the committee is supposed to turn in its report, sources said on August 20.
According to the specifications, the expressway is a four-lane, 47-kilometer project that will cost USD 460 million in total. The World Bank is contributing USD 360 million, and the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is covering the remaining costs.
The project will link Pakistan to the Central Asian Republics (CARs) and greatly increase trade, according to Peshawar Commissioner Riaz Khan Mehsud, who emphasized its significance for the area. The Southern Link Road (SLR), another name for the expressway, will begin in the vicinity of Tarnab Farm in Peshawar, traverse the Badhaber region and continue to the border crossing in Torkham.
In addition, it is noted that problems with cemeteries, businesses, and farmland along the planned route have slowed down the construction on the expressway. In the last ten days, three meetings have been organized in an attempt to resolve these concerns.
The newly established group is tasked with resolving these challenges and garnering public support. It consists of important officials and community representatives. The committee will soon make a site visit to the project. Commissioner Mehsud emphasized the administration’s commitment to completing the project on schedule while reiterating the project’s importance in boosting trade and reducing traffic congestion in Peshawar.
