ISLAMABAD, Nov 9: The National Highway Authority (NHA) will spend $100 million on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of three highways in the earthquake-hit AJK and NWFP.

According to a statement, this was stated by NHA Chairman Maj-Gen Farrukh Javed while presiding over the 134th executive board meeting held here on Tuesday.

He said there was an urgent need to rehabilitate three highways which had been badly damaged by the earthquake.

The World Bank (WB) has principally agreed to provide $100 million IBRD loan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of these vital links, he added.

He said this additional financing would be provided by expanding the scope of the existing national highway rehabilitation project being implemented by the authority with the assistance of World Bank.

The chairman apprised the board that the amount would be utilized for rehabilitation of Basian-Balakot Mahindri Naran (N- 15) road which had been damaged extensively.

The Balakot bridge has suffered displacement, and major reconstruction and realignment is required at many places such as Bhattal-Thakot, Kohala-Muzaffarabad and Muzaffarabad-Chakoti roads.

He also informed the board that the NHA had collected Rs35 million for the President’s Relief Fund and had send 118 trucks load of relief goods, while another 16 trucks have been handed over to Joint Staff Headquarters.

The board also approved construction, supervision and design review of Kalat-Quetta-Chamman section of N-25.

Contract for widening and rehabilitation of Indus Highway from Sarai Gambila to Malana Junction and Ghulam Khan to Sarai Gambila was awarded at a cost of Rs1,875 million.

Contract for the construction of Gwadar-Jewani section of Makran Coastal Highway was awarded to the Frontier Works Organization.

The board members appreciated the working of NHA’s finance wing. Efforts of member operations and his team were also lauded as these resulted in development of a comprehensive annual maintenance plan 2005-06 worth Rs7.43 billion.