ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): The federal government has announced the construction of a new state-of-the-art motorway (MNJC) connecting Mansehra to Kaghan, Naran, Jhal Khand, and Chilas in Gilgit-Baltistan.
The project was approved during an important meeting of the National Highway Authority (NHA), chaired by Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan, on Tuesday.
During the meeting, the federal minister was briefed in detail on crucial matters and new projects.
Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan announced that this new motorway will provide an excellent and safe alternative route to the Karakoram Highway (KKH).
“Due to this strategic alternative route, the travel distance on the Karakoram Highway will be reduced by up to 120 kilometers, and the total length of the MNJC Motorway will be 172 kilometers,” he said.
The minister said that this project will be completed in two phases.
In the first phase, the motorway will be built from Mansehra to Kaghan, Naran, and Babusar Top, while in the second phase, the project will be completed from Babusar Top to Chilas.
This project will also include the construction of the 13.5 km long Babusar Tunnel, which will be the longest tunnel in Pakistan, Aleem Khan added.
“Keeping future requirements in mind, this 4-lane motorway will have the capacity to be expanded to 6 lanes,” the minister said, adding that modern rest areas will be built every 25 to 30 kilometers for commuters, and specialized trucking terminals for goods transport will be established on both sides of the motorway.
Highlighting the economic significance of the project, Federal Minister Abdul Aleem Khan stated that traditionally, trade from the Arabian Sea to China via existing routes consumes an immense amount of time and leads to a massive wastage of financial resources.
“In contrast to this lengthy and costly transit, this new motorway will be directly linked with China, connecting Western China to the ports of Karachi and Gwadar,” he said during the meeting.
“This network will serve as the fastest, shortest, and most cost-effective route from the Arabian Sea to Western China, drastically reducing transit times and expenditures while proving to be a real game-changer for the sustainable development of the Gwadar Port.”
