CHITRAL: Prime Minister’s Inspection Team chairman Brig retired Khalid Ranjha’s visit to Chitral last week has paved the way for resumption of work on three different road projects.

The projects include Shandur Road, Lowari Tunnel Approach Road and the Booni-Buzund Road.

Laying of asphalt has been started in Kari village near Chitral on Shandur Road, whose completion deadline has been set for October by Mr Ranjha. He warned National Highway Authority of punitive action in case of failure to meet the deadline.

NHA sources said Shandur Road’s completion would help reduce the travel time between Chitral and Booni by one hour from three hours.

Similarly, work on the approach road to the Lowari Tunnel is also progressing fast. The progress of the work is sent to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat every three days as ordered by the inspection team’s head.

The local leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is also monitoring the pace of work on the Chitral-Booni Road and the Lowari Tunnel Approach Road as the district president Abdul Wali Khan Advocate has been designated as focal person for the development projects funded by the federal government.

Work has also started on the federally-funded Booni-Bazand Road in Upper Chitral, where asphalting work is underway in Warkop village, while construction of RCC bridges at Warkop and Rayan is also nearing completion.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2025