National News

ISLAMABAD, (APP): National Highway Authority (NHA) has
expedited efforts to complete Lowari tunnel by June 2017, says an
official source of the ministry of communication.
The official said the prime minister had directed for early
completion of the project which would greatly facilitate people of
the area.
Thus, he added extra efforts were being made to complete
the remaining work by June, 2017.
He said work had been completed on excavation and
widening of 8.5 Km (Main Tunnel) and excavation of 1.9 Km Tunnel
(Short Tunnel), concrete lining of 3.7 Km out of 8.5 Km in main
Tunnel, concrete lining of 1.9 Km Tunnel in full length in short
tunnel, intermediate ceiling of 2.2 Km out of 6.0 Km in main tunnel,
cable trench in 1.9 Km Tunnel in full length of short tunnel.
The road pavement was under process in short tunnel and Girder
Launching of Bridge No. 1 & 4 had been achieved, deck slabs of
Bridge No. 1 had been casted and pilling work on Bridge No. 2 & 3
were in progress, he said.
He also added the NHA had started the construction of Hazara
Motorway from Hassanabdal Havelian with a total length of 59.1 Km.
The project being controlled access 23 therefore, Toll Plazas
will be at entrance/exits on interchanges of project provided at
different locations.
There will be five Interchanges on the Motorway and the
process of land Acquisition has been been completed from a total 44
villages wherein six fall in the province of Punjab and remaining 38
villages fall in the province of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa.
Land has been acquired from the owners on the rate received
from Revenue Department and work on initial two sections of the
project i.e. Package-I which starts from Burhan and ends up at
Jharikas (Km 0 + 000 to Km 20 + 400) and Package-II which starts
from Jharikas and ends up at Sarai Saleh (Km 20 + 400 to Km 39 +
611) are in full swing.
He said these two sections shall be operationalized by 30th
September, 2017. Whereas, the contract for construction of
Package-III i.e. Sarai Saleh-Havelian (Km 39 + 611 – Km 59 + 100)
has recently been awarded and the contractor has mobilized at site.
This section will be completed by December, 2017.