PESHAWAR, Aug 17: Work on the 26-kilometre-long Kohat-Khushal Garh Road is in full swing and 90 per cent work on its 8.5 kilometre dual carriageway section will be completed in about a fortnight.

Similarly, 60 per cent work has been completed on the remaining 17.5- kilometre-long single carriageway of the road and the entire project is expected to be completed by December this year. The project is expected to cost Rs160 million.

The information was provided during a briefing held with the NWFP Governor Lt-Gen (retired) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah in the chair at Governor's House here on Monday. The meeting reviewed the pace of work on various projects relating to the communication sector with special reference to the progress made so far on Kohat-Khushal Garh Road.

The meeting was further informed that construction of the 10 bridges and road barriers as well as dozens of culverts on the entire 26 kilometre road have been completed. It was further disclosed that the earth work on the road together with the construction of its base and subbase has also been done on the dual carriageway section whereas carpeting is in progress and work on this section of the road is expected to be completed within two-week time.

Speaking on the occasion, the governor said that the efforts must be expedited to complete the entire project in all respects within the given schedule. He expressed the hope that the efforts being made to hand over the road at the disposal of the National Highway Authority would meet a success and with the result not only the amount spent on it would be recouped but the project would be further expanded.

In response to a query, the governor desired that efforts must be expedited to shift the infrastructure of Pesco from the jurisdictions falling in the purview of the project to make its smooth completion.

The governor further desired that the Frontier Highway Authority should also look into the possibility to construct a bridge on Swat river adjacent to the Malakand University of Science and Technology to provide direct access to its students to the Chakdara-Mingora Road which, he remarked, would save a lot of time for them. In this connection he also agreed to a proposal to send a team of experts to chalk out detail feasibility of the project.

The governor also mentioned the upgradation project of Nowshera-Chamblat section of the G.T. Road as well as the Indus Highway and said that there should be uniformity in the process and quality of work must be of desired standard. -APP