PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Council has approved Rs19.44 billion annual budget of Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority (PKHA) for the year 2022-23.

The council met with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair here on Monday, according to a statement.

Provincial minister for environment and forestry Ishtiaq Urmar, principal secretary to chief minister Amjad Ali Khan, secretary communication and works Idrees Khan and managing director PKHA Ahmad Nabi Sultan also attended the meeting.

The PKHA budget would be placed before the provincial cabinet for approval.

The statement said the council also approved the maintenance plan of PKHA 2022-23 for maintenance and rehabilitation of different highways at an estimated cost of Rs1.7 billion in order to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic. The council also approved provincialisation of different roads and the creation of various new posts for strengthening PKHA.

The statement said the forum was briefed about new schemes of PKHA reflected in the provincial Annual Development Programme for the year 2022-23.

It was informed that five new schemes had been included in the ADP, including construction of approach roads to Kalar Kot Bridge on Indus River, Madyan-Kalam Road, a bridge on Dera Ismail Khan-Darya Khan Road, dualisation of road from Indus highway to Bannu city, Shaheeda Sar-Etay Khwar and Sar Kala-Bar Teraj roads and improvement of Btara-Shangra Road in Buner.

Similarly, construction of a 61km road from Barang (Bajaur) to Swat Motorway was also included in the ADP, which will be completed at an estimated cost of Rs5 billion.

Mahmood Khan directed the officials to furnish reports regarding utilisation of development funds during the previous fiscal year, and ensure completion of all the ongoing schemes within the stipulated time.

He said the provincial government was spending huge resources on the development of road infrastructure to improve the overall communications network and provide modern transport facilities to people.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2022