KPEC, Swat Motorway new section get approval from ECNEC

PESHAWAR: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved two mega projects of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) including Khyber Pass Economic Corridor (KPEC) and Swat Motorway Phase II, ARY News reported on Thursday.

The 79km Phase-II section of the project will be constructed from Chakdara to Fatehpur, Swat, and will have nine interchanges and eight bridges.

Moreover, the government will acquire approximately 10,000 canal land for the construction of 80-kilometre Swat Motorway from Chakdara to Fatehpur, Swat. The four-lane road will have nine interchanges and eight bridges.

It is pertinent to mention here that the first phase of Swat Motorway is likely to be opened by the end of August.

KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan said that the Khyber Pass Economic Corridor (KPEC) project will be constructed with the assistance of the World Bank (WB) with the cost of $406.6 million.

Following the approval of two mega projects, Mahmood Khan termed the decisions as a major achievement of the present government despite facing tough economic situation. He thanked Prime Minister Imran Khan and the federal authorities for giving approval to the mega projects.

He expressed hopes that the bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan will be promoted through the completion of Khyber Pass Economic Corridor (KPEC) project besides giving access to markets of Central Asian countries.