Officials say Dir Motorway to be built at a cost of Rs69bn, linking Chakdara and Baroon
DLP Report
PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Saturday gave in-principle approval to the construction of the 29-kilometre Dir Motorway under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, with Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi directing authorities to immediately begin land acquisition and expedite the project’s implementation, said an official statement issued here.
The statement said the approval was granted at a meeting of the Public-Private Partnership Committee chaired by the chief minister at the CM House.
It stated the meeting was attended by provincial ministers Aftab Alam, Shakeel Khan, Shafi Jan and Muzzammal Aslam, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Additional Chief Secretary (Planning and Development) Islam Zeb, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Amir Sultan Tareen and senior officials from the relevant departments.
Officials told the meeting that the motorway would run from the Chakdara Interchange to Baroon in Lower Dir district and would be built at an estimated cost of Rs69 billion.
Mr Afridi directed the relevant authorities to initiate land acquisition without delay and prepare clear timelines to ensure the project’s timely completion so that its benefits could reach the public at the earliest.
He also instructed officials to propose amendments to the province’s public-private partnership framework to speed up the execution of development projects under the PPP mode.
Addressing the meeting, the chief minister described the Dir Motorway as an important project for the people of Malakand Division, saying it would significantly reduce travel time, fuel consumption and transportation costs.
He said the motorway would also boost tourism by improving access to remote tourist destinations across Malakand Division, creating employment opportunities and strengthening the local economy.
The committee also reviewed progress on the Peshawar-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway and Swat Motorway Phase II projects and discussed measures to ensure their timely completion.
