Images Widen Korakram

Plan made to widen Karakoram Highway, Mansehra-Naran Road

 

 

MANSEHRA: The National Highway Authority (NHA) and district administration have finalised a plan to widen the Karakoram Highway (KKH) and Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.
Under the plan, both the roads would be expanded from the existing 33 to 66 feet width to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic that mostly remains jammed because of the heavy traffic.The decision was taken at a meeting held here on Friday with Deputy Commissioner of Mansehra Zulfiqar Shah in the chair. The representatives of NHA, Works and Communication Department, municipal committees of Balakot, Mansehra and district council attended the meeting.

“Henceforth, No Objection Certificates (NOC) would not be issued for construction along the roadside and the ones already issued should be considered null and void,” Zulfiqar Shah told the meeting.

He said the KKH would be widened from Mansehra to Chaterplain and Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road from Bisian to Kaghan.“We hope that the owners of markets and shops will stay within the defined limits measuring 33 feet from the centre of both sides of road and voluntarily demolish the encroachments or else the administration will do so to widen the roads,” he said.

Speaking at the meeting, Mansehra Assistant Commissioner Qasim Ali Khan said the district administration had issued notices to the property owners to remove the encroachments.NHA Deputy Director Syed Nawaz told the meeting that the encroachments would be demolished under the NHA Act 1991 and its amendments.“We would determine the Right of Way (ROW) at KKH andMansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road and then serve notices on the property owners,” said Syed Nawaz.