PESHAWAR, Jan 7: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) would provide Rs1.5 billion assistance to the NWFP government for the construction of a highway between Hangu and Thall, official sources said.

The Chief Engineer of the Works and Services Department, NWFP, Habib Ali Khan, told Dawn that the bank had agreed to provide financial assistance for the construction of the highway and the case was under process at ADB headquarters in Manila.

He said the bank would release funds within three months and work on the road was likely to begin during the current financial year.

He said the highway would be constructed up to Chappari checkpoint, the entry point to the tribal area of the Kurram Agency.

The road, starting from Kohat and connecting the Indus Highway with Afghanistan's four provinces via tribal areas, is in a dilapidated condition and badly affects ongoing trade activities between the two countries.

Main bridges on this busy highway, constructed in early 1900s, are on the verge of collapse.

The highway has developed large potholes, making journey to and from Afghanistan very risky.

Under the PC-I of the project, the width of the road would be increased from 20 feet to 24 feet, while its shoulders would also be blacktopped.

The project, to be supervised by the Frontier Highway Authority (FHA), also includes construction of nine major bridges.

Official sources said that the main portion of the highway from Kohat to Hangu had not been incorporated in the project and the provincial government would rebuild and repair these portion of the road from maintenance and repair funds.