PESHAWAR, April 28: The National Highway Authority (NHA) took over the Kohat tunnel from Taisi, the Japanese construction firm, on Saturday, officials said on Monday.

The 1.9km-long tunnel on the Indus Highway has been constructed at a cost of Rs6 billion and was ready for commissioning.

The Peshawar-based general manager of the NHA, Yousuf Ali Khan, told Dawn that high-tech equipments had been installed at the tunnel which was likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali in May.

He said management and operation plans for the tunnel had been chalked out. Security had been handed over to the Frontier Corps and police while operational and management contracts had been awarded to M/s ATS Pakistan, he added.

The tunnel will reduce road distance between Peshawar and Kohat by 20 kilometres and would also help save time and fuel.

The Japan Bank for International Cooperation financed the project. The JBIC is also providing financial assistance for the Indus Highway project as the work on the 800km highway between Peshawar and Karachi had been completed.

After its completion, the highway will reduce distance between Peshawar and Karachi by 400 kilometres.

Project Manager of the Kohat Tunnel access roads project, Y. Kobayashi, termed the tunnel a “symbol of Pakistan-Japan friendship”.

“I am fully satisfied with the quality of work,” Mr Kobayashi said and added that Taisi was one of the largest construction companies in Japan which had constructed many subways in and outside the country.

Talking to Dawn in Peshawar, he said international standard gadgets had been installed at the Kohat tunnel to make journey safe and facilities like fire-fighting, lighting, safety, exhaust fans and power generators had been provided.

He said the Pacific Construction International, a foreign firm, would send a consultant to train the local staff to operate the computerised equipments installed for the operation, maintenance and safety of the tunnel. Around 200 workers and engineers would work in three shifts to keep equipments in operation for 24 hours, he said.

He, however, pointed out that vehicle owners would have to cooperate with the management of the tunnel and strictly follow traffic rules to avoid any mishap.

About the operational and management cost of the tunnel, Mr Kobayashi said the annual total cost would be around Rs60 million, including Rs12 million electricity charges, equipments repairing and on deployment of security personnel. Initially, he said, the NHA expected to earn Rs90 million as toll tax.

The project manager denied reports that cracks had appeared at some parts of the tunnel after an earthquake hit the region a few months back.

The National Highway Authority officials said certain rules, guidelines, and regulations had been formulated for the users to avoid any mishap at the tunnel.

Chief Operating Officer of the NHA Nasim Khattak said speed limit for vehicles would be 40km per hour.

Entry of tractor trolley, oil tankers, vehicles carrying fodder for cattle and explosive material would be banned initially, he added. Police and Frontier Crops will set up pickets at either side of the tunnel.

A meeting held at the Wapda House here on Monday discussed the problems relating to power supply to the gadgets installed inside the tunnel. The meeting was attended by Japanese engineers, National Highway Authority and Wapda officials.

The meeting was informed that standby generators had been provided at the tunnel to make up for any power failure or fluctuation but Wapda would have to make arrangements to solve the power fluctuation problem on permanent basis.