Delay costs exchequer Rs 575 million

ISLAMABAD - The only road connection of Chitral with other parts of Pakistan (Lowari Tunnel), a two decades old project, has so far caused Rs 575 million escalation cost to national kitty due to certain reasons.The project started with original PC-1 cost Rs 7.98 billion has been revised around Rs 19 billion due to plethora of reasons is still not completed and due to non-availability of an all-weather link over the Lowari Top, Chitral Valley remains cut off with the rest of the country during peak winter season. The stipulated completion time of the vital project has passed but still 60 per cent work on this project was remaining, sources in communication ministry told TheNation. This project not only hampered development of Chitral but also hindered Pakistan benefiting from the immense natural and human resources of this area.Background interviews with experts shared that the work on Lowari Tunnel Project was suspended in May 2009 for 84 days, on commencement of military operation in Malakand, Dir (Upper & Lower), Swat, Shangla.Due to such circumstances expatriate staff of the consultant and contractor were evacuated on the advice of local administration and shifted to Islamabad.The suspension was further extended up to October 2009 due to continuation of worst law & order condition at site and curfew along N-45 route, they added.The project staff were remobilized to site on 28th October, 2009 and work resumed on 1st November, 2009. The construction work has remained suspended due to other reasons including floods and avalanches of 2006, 2007 and 2010. Destruction of construction camps and machinery due to floods including death of a Korean Engineer in August 2006.The revision of design from Rail Tunnel to Road Tunnel by Present government with plans to Link Chitral with Central Asian States through Afghanistan is also considered one of the reason of extraordinary delay.It was also learnt that existing excavation width of Tunnel is 5.3 M which was originally planned for rail tunnel, while as the project has been converted into road tunnel, width is being be extended to 7.3 M for singly carriageway as per international standard.Sources said that the project was originally given to NHA in 2004 and the authority in 2009 decided to convert rail tunnel to road tunnel due to difficulties anticipated in Operation & Maintenance (O & M) of the Rail Tunnel in the far-flung area of Chitral.In the above backdrop, the Lowari Tunnel Project had remained a dream of the residents of Chitral Valley since early 1950s. It was only in 1974 when FWO was deployed to carry out tunneling operation but the project was abandoned due to financial constraints after FWO had progressed upto 600 meters only.It was learnt that the planning commission has allocated Rs164million for fiscal year 2010-11. The only road connection between Chitral valley and other parts of Pakistan is through Lowari Pass (3200 m above Moisture sensitivity level (MSL). The Nation

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