KOHAT, Oct 22: The Kohat tunnel that was damaged by Taliban in 2008 has been repaired at a cost of Rs350 million after four years.

Zulfiqar Shah, an official of National Highway Authority, told Dawn on Monday that they had flouted tenders for installation of lights and exhaust fans in the tunnel in 2009 but the shipment was delayed owing to some reasons.

In the 2008 suicide blasts, 10 exhaust fans and two rows of lights at the two kilometres long tunnel had been destroyed and people were facing suffocation and darkness while passing through the tunnel.

The NHA had awarded contract to Siemens Company for importing lights and exhaust fans from Italy and Australia but the shipment was delayed owing to some technical reasons.

The official said that all the exhaust fans had been replaced whereas 95 per cent lights had also been replaced. He said that the work would be completed within few weeks.

After blasts in the tunnel, its security was handed over to army that started checking of vehicles on its both sides. Motorists and commuters have to wait for long to pass trough the tunnel owing to checking of vehicles that takes a lot of time.

After the recent threat issued by Taliban to destroy any government installation, long queues of vehicles can be seen at both ends of the tunnel as army personnel check motors and passenger coaches with detecting equipment.

The one-and-half mile journey to Peshawar from Kohat now takes more than three hours owing to checking of vehicles that irks commuters.

The residents of the area have demanded of the authorities to increase checking staff at the tunnel to save their time.

Similar situation was witnessed twice in the past when militants carried out blasts inside the tunnel in 2008 and 2009.