KOHAT: The project for dualisation of Kohat-Hangu highway has hit snags due to delay in the release of funds which could also result in its cost escalation.

Project director of the highway, Shakir Khan, told Dawn on Tuesday that of the Rs2 billion cost of the project they had so far received Rs250 million since late 2015 when the work started. He said that the project involved purchase of land and payment for the buildings, forests, electricity poles, etc coming in the way. He said that deadline for completion the highway was Dec 2018.

He said that most of the land was under collective ownership and it was difficult for them to divide the payment to the satisfaction of owners. However, the elders have promised to solve the problem amicably.

Mr Khan said that blasting for widening and straitening of the road from Juzara rest house had started. He said that the road would remain closed to traffic from 9:00pm to 12:00 noon daily for next 15 days.

Answering a query, the project director said that at last the weight machine had been approved for the highway to be installed at Nasratkhel because the Afghanistan-bound overloaded trailers were damaging the road.

He said that the commissioner had been urged to order the PTCL and Pesco to remove the poles and lines coming in the way so that work should not suffer anymore.

TEACHERS’ APPOINTMENT: District nazim Maulana Niaz Mohammad has said that appointment of teachers in the government schools and provision of furniture for 20,000 students will be completed in Kohat by March next.

Chairing a meeting of government departments at his office here on Tuesday, he also ordered provision of potable water in the Lachi tehsil hospital and schools.

He took notice of absence of heads of government departments from the council meetings, and expelled from his office clerks sent by certain departments for the Tuesday’s meeting.

The nazim said that some departments were approving and carrying out development works by bypassing the district council and warned that such works would be stopped.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2017