CHITRAL, Dec 9: Work on the long-awaited Chitral city bypass project started here on Thursday. The bypass will connect Chew Bridge with Polo Ground area and reduce the traffic mess on the city's main road passing through its main bazaar.

Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti had inaugurated the project on Oct 19, but work was delayed due to problems in acquisition of land for the road.

Speaking at a function to formally launch work on the project, Chitral DCO Rahmatullah Wazir said that Rs350 million would be spent on the construction of 1.8km bypass road and the project would be completed in two months.

The DCO said that the commencement of work on the project was a great accomplishment of the present government and on completion of the project congestion city roads would be drastically reduced. He said that tourism industry and some other sectors would greatly benefit from the bypass road.

He said that the chief minister had released the needed funds for the project and directed the executing agency to ensure quality work and completion of the project according to schedule.

He said that payment had already been made to the land owners and there was no hurdle left in the way of project.

On this occasion, Chitral district ANP president Syed Muzaffar Jan, Muhammad Hakim of PPP and Saeed Ahmed Khan of PML-Q also expressed their views.