Abbottabad, April 8: The Asian Development Bank has agreed to provide funds to the tune of Rs3 billion for construction of an additional carriageway from Hassan Abdal to Abbottabad and Mansehra.

An official of the National Highway Authority, while confirming the report, said that the project, named N-35, is a part of eight other national projects of the country and work on it would start in 2006.

He said that beside duplication of the way from Hassan Abdal to Abbottabad-Mansehra, the funds would also be utilized on widening and improvement of present road which would subsequently be linked with the famous Karakoram Highway between Pakistan and China.

The ADB will provide $29m for these eight projects in two phases.

Due to heavy load of traffic on the road from Abbottabad to Hassan Abdal different circles, especially business community, had been demanding construction of a duel carriageway.

Big city status urged: All employees coordination council of Abbottabad district has demanded of the provincial and central governments to grant the status of big city to Abbottabad.

The council, which represents workers’ bodies of about 74 government offices, said in a press release on Thursday that presently only government employees of Peshawar district were receiving benefits of big city.