National Highway Authority (NHA) is working on dualization and up-gradation project of 83 kilometer Old Bannu Road in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Media reports said the project was part of Indus Highway and the first package of the project, 40 kilometer Domail – Khurrum portion was awarded to the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) at the bid price of Rs 7.132 billion. Its work started in February 2018 and so far about 59 per cent physical progress has been achieved mainly due to lack of funds availability, the official added. He said its second package the 35 km Khurram-Krapa portion costing Rs 5.927 billion was awarded to the FWO.

Its work had started in February 2018 and so far about 58 per cent physical progress has been achieved. The third package of Old Bannu road, 8 kilometer Gaandi Chowk – Sarai Naurang section was awarded to M/s NCC-IKAN-HRPL joint venture at the bid price of Rs 0.718 billion. Work on the package also started in February 2018 and it has already been accomplished. He further said that the existing road was single carriageway which was being dualized and improved. He said the project would provide the heavy traffic movement on Indus Highway (N-55) with an alternate route thus sharing the traffic burden with Indus Highway. The NHA official said that infrastructure development in the less developed areas would contribute to their economic uplift through accelerated trade activities.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP