MARDAN, March 22: The NWFP government, after allocating Rs27.5 million, has started work on the Mardan-Katlang road, which remained in dilapidated condition for the last 10 years.

Some local leaders of opposition parties in the NWFP said that the MMA-led provincial government’s announcement of initiating work on the road was aimed at gaining political mileage in the upcoming general elections.

However, most of the people and local government representatives praised the initiative and said that the road would link the rural population with urban areas.

Union Council Shamozai-Katlang Nazim Mohammad Saeed Khan, eulogising the efforts of NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani and his cabinet, said: “Leaders in the past used to ignore their pledges after getting elected.”

He said that the road’s construction was a longstanding demand of the local populace, but it remained unfulfilled.

Advocate Syed Kamal Shah of the People’s Party-Parliamentarian said that the NWFP government’s late announcement was meant to get public support in the next elections.

“Why the MMA government remained silent for the last four years?” he said.