ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: The National Highway Authority (NHA) approved several projects including establishment of a high-tech institute at a cost of Rs600 million to provide technical education and training in transport sector.

In an executive board meeting held here on Monday NHA Chairman Chaudhry Altaf Ahmad told this reporter that the government of Japan would provide funds for the institute.

The NHA chairman said qualified teaching staff would be hired to impart training to engineers and other technical staff in the transport sector.

It would also provide vocational training and education of master’s degree level in the field of communications.

Mr Altaf said the board had also approved the award of contract of 70km Kandhkot (near Ghotki) Highway of worth Rs3 billion which opened into the Indus Highway.

The meeting approved revising toll rates on highways and motorways, last time it revised in 1997, he added. The meeting also reviewed various aspects of country-wide national highways, motorways, expressways and strategic roads projects.

He said that the recent floods in the Punjab province had not caused any damage to NHA roads network. About the damaged bridge on Karakoram Highway bridge, he said traffic had been restored on the road.