Islamabad Development News :Work to start soon on Burhan-Mansehra Expressway

[Salman]

Islamabad Development News :Work to start soon on Burhan-Mansehra Expressway

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan has directed to expedite the land acquisition process for Burhan-Mansehra Expressway (E-35) so that construction work on the project is stared soon. The Minister also directed to finalize the liability issues with contractors of Lowari Tunnel so that construction activity is re-activated.

He said this while taking a briefing on the progress of E-35. Shahzada Mohiyuddin member national assembly (MNA), M Saleem Provincial Minister for population and Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) Syed Muhammad Ali Gardezi were also present at the occasion.

GM (E-35) Azfar Ahsan Khan while briefing the Federal Minister said that 110 Km expressway will be built with a cost of Rs 47 billion within a period of 3 years. He told that Rs 1405 million have been given to NHA for which the land acquisition is in process, while Rs 615 million are still needed. The total cost of land acquisition for the project is Rs 2 billion. He told that the land acquisition process for 20 villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been completed and Rs 164 million has been paid to the affectees, while another 11 villages land acquisition process will be completed by January 2012.

He told that Rs 175 million for 6 villages falling in Punjab have been received and will soon be disbursed amongst the affectees. While discussing the alignment of the Expressway, the Minister directed that the east side alignment of the expressway while passing through Abbottabad is more feasible in terms of low cost as well as lesser gradient.