HARIPUR: The Burhan-Havelian section of the Hazara Motorway would become operational from Wednesday (today), sources in the National Highway Authority (NHA) said here on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi would formally inaugurate the motorway.

Although the supporters of both the PPP and former military ruler Gen (retired) Pervez Musharaf claim credit for conceiving the project that would serve as the main land route between China and Pakistan in future trade under the CPEC, the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif materialised the project. He had inaugurated the E-35 Motorway on Nov 29, 2014.

The first phase of the Asian Development Bank and United Kingdom-funded six-lane expressway has a total length of 180 kilometres and divided in seven phases.

The first two phases of the project, Burhan to Shah Maqsood, have four interchanges, including Jhari Kass interchange, the entrance point of Haripur district, Kotnajibullah interchange that connects Hattar Industrial Estate, Chechiyan interchange that connects Khanpur Road and Shah Maqsood interchange which was later renamed as Havelian interchange.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2017