MANSEHRA: The government has approved Rs580 million for the construction of the Datta-Kotkay Bypass, which will connect Karakoram Highway with Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.

“This artery, approved by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, will provide tourists and travellers en route to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and vice versa with an opportunity to save time and avoid traffic congestion at Mansehra city and its surrounding areas,” said Kamal Saleem Swati, provincial deputy president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, while speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the newly-constructed building of a government middle school in Huddobandi area here on Sunday.

He said the students had been attending classes in a small temporary structure since the old building was demolished after it developed dangerous cracks.

“We have, for the first time, launched such development schemes that were consistently ignored in the past, causing hardship to people,” Mr Swati said.

He added that the Datta-Kotkay Bypass would not only help resolve traffic problems and reduce travel time between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and AJK but also promote tourism and business activities in Kaghan Valley and other parts of Mansehra district.

He said that the execution of farm-to-market roads and pavements in the Safada village council was also underway, with Rs100 million funds approved from the KP Assembly speaker’s development allocations.

Speaking on the occasion, Safada village council chairman Basharat Ali Swati lauded the efforts of Babar Swati for approving funds for the road and other development projects.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2025