KOHAT: The provincial government has finally approved Rs380 million after a delay of two decades for expansion of the road between Kutcheri Chowk and PAF Square following an agreement with the army on razing of barracks.

The expansion of the busy road would help ease traffic congestion in the Kohat city.

Mansoor Khan, the public relations officer to chairman of parliamentary committee on Kashmir Shehryar Afridi, told Dawn on Saturday that the project would be completed in three phases. He said ample parking spaces would also be created to ensure smooth traffic flow in the busy area.

Mr Mansoor said the total expenditure on the road would be Rs80 million, while the rest of the approved amount would be paid as compensation to the shopkeepers, market owners and the army. He said the road expansion project had been pending for last two decades.

Deputy chief warden Arab Jan told Dawn that at some points the busiest road was just about 15 feet to 18 feet wide, thus causing traffic jams. He said vehicles took more than half an hour to travel a one-kilometre patch of the road due to gridlocks despite deployment of wardens at different places.

The traffic warden said the communication and works department had marked the markets and shops three years ago to be pushed back several feet at various points for road expansion.

The social and business circles had been demanding the approval of the project, which was being delayed due to the disagreement between the government and the army on the payment cost of the barracks located on the left side of the road between the Martyrs’ Square and the King Gate.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2021