ISLAMABAD: Economic Affairs Division and Asian Development Bank (ADB) here on Wednesday signed a loan agreement for the provision of $140 million for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Roads Improvement Project.
Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority (PKHA) intends to rehabilitate a part of its provincial highway network under this project to improve the performance of its roads and achieve a higher service level in the province. With the rehabilitation of these roads, the overall maintenance cost will reduce significantly. Due to the proposed interventions, this 214 kms network of roads will only require periodic maintenance after 5-6 years and resultantly the maintenance burden on PKHA will be reduced in the forthcoming years. The rehabilitation of these candidate roads, in accordance with the proposed program, will not only enhance their capacities but will also result in improved service delivery.
The loan agreement was signed by Economic Affairs Division Additional Secretary (Incharge) Syed Ghazanfar Abbas Jilani and ADB Country Director Xiaohong Yang. The project agreement was signed by Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Communication and Works Department secretary and Pakhtunkhwa Highway Authority managing director.
Speaking on the occasion, Syed Ghazanfar Abbas Jilani appreciated ADB’s support for improving infrastructure and urban services in Pakistan. He reiterated that the Government of Pakistan is committed to improving regional connectivity by improving physical infrastructure and economic activities. The provincial roads of KP will complement towards enhanced economic mobility of China Pakistan Economic Corridor as well as Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Corridor.
