ISLAMABAD, Aug 3: MNA from Chitral Shahzada Mohiuddin said here on Wednesday that construction work on the Lowari Tunnel would restart soon.

Talking to Dawn here; the MNA said that he had conveyed the resentment of the people of Chitral over the suspension of work on the mega project to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani who assured him that the required funds would be released to the executing company soon.

According to the latest estimate of the National Highway Authority (NHA), Rs17 billion would be needed to expand the width of the eight-km-long tunnel from the current 11 feet to 23 feet and reconstruct roads on its northern and southern portals. These modifications are being made after the project design was changed from rail to road tunnel.

The MNA said the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in its next meeting would approve the required funds for completion of the project without further delay. It may be noted that work on the tunnel connecting Chitral with other parts of the country was inaugurated by former president Gen Pervez Musharraf in July 2005 and the project was to be completed in four years.

The contractor, Korean Sambu Company, after completing the digging work, had withdrawn its staff and machinery from the site as the PPP government stopped funding the project about two years back, sparking protests by the area people.