Peshawar-Torkham Express way

PESHAWAR—In a major step to improve the communication system in FATA, the government will construct 51 kilometer Peshawar-Torkham Expressway at the cost of Rs 11 billion within coming two and half years. The project will be completed in two different phases. Section-II of the road has been tendered while separate tender would be invited for Section-I soon. The expressway will start from Surkamar near Bagyari and winding through Shagai Fort, Ali Masjid, Char Bagh and Landi Khana will end at the Torkham Post on Pakistan-Afghanistan border. A tunnel has been proposed at Char Bagh. The expressway is a proof of commitment that the government is showing towards improving the communication system in the remote mountainous areas. It would not only benefit the commuters, frequently using the road but would also ensure more job opportunities, development and improvement in the lifestyle of the tribesmen. The estimated cost of the 17-kilometer section-II is Rs 5.4 billion while the 34 kilometres long section-I will cost Rs 5.64 billion and would be tendered later. The PC-I of the project has been approved by the ECNEC while the design has also been prepared. Both the sections would be completed till July 2009. A number of flyovers and underpasses have been proposed to facilitate commuters from the villages on both side of the route on the directives of Governor NWFP Lieutenant General (retired) Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai. The government has also directed to redesign the entrance gate at Torkham, which links both the neighbouring countries. The government has allocated billions of rupees for the uplift of communication system in different tribal agencies and frontier regions. A nine-year sustainable development program 2007-2015 is being launched for long-term developmental schemes in different sectors in FATA including communications. A sum of Rs. 1178 million has been allocated for implementation of 179 road schemes in the current financial year’s budget and communication sector stands second in the order of priority after education.—Agencies