Reconstruction of main road in Haripur begins

HARIPUR: The first section of the reconstruction work of the 26 kilometer strip of the main road of the district kicked off and the entire Rs950 million project would be completed within six months, a PMLN leader said on Friday.

Talking to reporters here, Babar Nawaz Khan, a former PMLN MNA from Haripur and chairman standing committee of National Assembly on human rights, told reporters that Federal Minister for Communications Maulana Asad Mahmood had, on his request, approved the project of the reconstruction of 26km strip of road between Jhari Kass to Shah Maqsood interchange. He said that the reconstruction work would raise the existing level of the road by 13 centimeters while the use of material in the project at the standard of highways would be ensured.

The PMLN leader said that the project was divided into three sections that included Jhari Kass to Panian 9.5 km, second section has a length of 6.5 km from Panian to Darwesh while the third section from Darwesh to Shah Maqsood was 9.5km long. He said that the total length was 26km but he would try to ensure the reconstruction of the whole strip of 30 km within the revenue limits of Haripur district.

The former MNA said that the work on the first section had begun while the work order of the second section was likely to be issued within a couple of days.

He maintained that the last and third section would also be approved by the federal minister within the next couple of weeks and the whole work was scheduled to be completed within a six months timeline.

To a question, he expressed the hope that the completion of reconstruction work of the much-needed project would help reduce the travel time.

He lamented that the PTI’s government had, despite making tall claims, failed to provide a communication facility of smooth road during its eight years long rule. He said that the m road had been in a dilapidated condition for the last over five years but neither the provincial or federal government of PTI bothered to reconstruct the excessively used road. He added that Haripur was the gateway to upper Hazara, GB and AJK and thousands of vehicles ply on it daily.

Team of National Highway Authority led by Deputy Director Ameer Khan, chairman village council Ishtiaq Haider were also present on the occasion. Earlier, the NHA’s team briefed the former PMLN MNA about the design and material being and the work progress.