Lowari Tunnel

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Lowari Tunnel is an 8.75 km (5.3 mi.) long under-construction road tunnel situated in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan connecting Dir and Chitral Valley.

History

The Lowari Tunnel was originally conceived in 1956 by the Government of Pakistan. Work on the tunnel began on 8 September 1975 but was stopped in 1976 due to lack of funds and other development priorities, work on the tunnel did not restart until September 2005.

Benefits

The tunnel will reduce the current 14-hour drive from Chitral to Peshawar by 50%. Moreover, people of Chitral have to travel from Afghanistan and then enter back in Pakistan during the winter season as Lowari top is closed for traffic for most part of the year. Chitral remains virtually inaccessible during the winter; the tunnel will also facilitate all-weather transportation.

Construction

A South Korean construction company, SAMBU JV, has been assigned the work on the tunnel. It is expected to be completed at a cost of Rs.8 billion ($133 million US) in 2013.

Construction vehicles transited the completed tunnel in January 2009.[1] The tunnel was temporarily open in the winter of 2009-10 when the Lowari Pass was closed.[2]

Currently SAMBU JV has removed all construction equipment and has apparently abandoned the project.[3]

Salient features

Project Name: Lowari Tunnel
Length: 8.75 km
Diameter: 7.1 metres
Cost: PKR 5,545.7 Million (USD 133 Million)
Client: National Highway Authority (Pakistan)
Contractor: Sambu JV (South Korea)
Consultant: Geoconsult-Typsa JV
Date of Commencement: 5 September 2005
Estimated Date of Completion: March 2014
Physical Progress: 44% completed

References

  1. ↑ Business Recorder, 12 April 2009
  2. ↑ Zar Alam Khan (13 April 2010). "Early closure of Lowari Tunnel criticised". Ground Report. 
  3. ↑ Chitral Times 6 October 2011

External links

Coordinates: 35°21′N 71°48′E / 35.350°N 71.800°E / 35.350; 71.800

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