By Abdul Ghani

The government has released $0.23 million to hire consultants for the improvement and widening of the Chakdara-Timergara section of the N-45 highway, according to the documents available with Wealth Pakistan.

Official documents presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs indicate that the payment was processed as part of a foreign-funded project executed by the National Highway Authority.

The Chakdara-Timergara Road upgrade, spanning 38.85 kilometres, is part of a broader plan to modernise the N-45 corridor. The project is financed through a $49.045 million concessional loan from the Korean Exim Bank under its Economic Development Cooperation Fund to help improve connectivity in the northern districts of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The consultancy payment covers early-stage work, including design and planning, before the project’s execution phase. The total cost of the project has been estimated at Rs17.012 billion, with Rs3.658 billion to be financed by the government and the remaining amount through foreign assistance. For the fiscal year 2025-26, Rs749.6 million has been allocated under the Public Sector Development Programme.

The upgraded road will feature a 7.3-meter-wide carriageway with two-meter shoulders on each side, designed to support smoother and safer traffic flow. The project is scheduled for completion by June 2028.

The Chakdara-Timergara section is part of a larger N-45 route connecting Chakdara to Chitral via Dir, a strategically important corridor for regional trade, tourism, and mobility.

Credit: INP-WealthPk