Scarcity of funds has put the fate of Lowari Tunnel in doldrums and the contractor has stopped work on the project. An amount of Rs 2 billion is immediately required to resume work on the vital project. This was sated in a meeting arranged to access the on-going progress of Lowari tunnel project, chaired by the Minister for Communications Dr Alamgir Khan here on Tuesday.
The Minister said that the contractor has stopped working due to non-payment of dues by the National Highway Authority (NHA). He appealed to the Prime Minister to release Rs 2 billion so that the project could be completed. The minister said that no compromise would be made as further delay would hamper trade and tourism industry. The minister was apprised in detail regarding the progress made so far on the Lowari tunnel project.
The minister was informed that work on the tunnel has been stopped due to shortage of funds. He was told that the tunnel was initially designed as rail tunnel but later on it was converted into road tunnel and it is being widened for two-way traffic. NHA officials said that the contractor has already completed the 8.9 km long tunnel and the concrete work is going on. About 4 km link roads at both ends are also being completed.
The minister said that this tunnel would connect the Central Asian Republics with Pakistan road network. He reiterated the vision of the present government to provide excellent road network, and added that it would be enhanced up to Central Asian states, China and Iran. Secretary Ministry of Communication Anwar Ahmad Khan, Chairman NHA Muhammad Ali Gardezi, officials of Korean contractor SAMBU, consultant and other officers from the Ministry and NHA along with Prince Mohiuddin MNA from Chitral also attended the meeting.