The expansion of the Karakoram Highway, which connects Pakistan with China across the Karakoram mountain range, will cost Rs.25 billion, a media report said Wednesday.
The National Highway Authority will begin expanding the highway to four lanes from the existing two lanes before the end of this month.
Looking at the strategic importance of the highway, it has been put on priority despite shortage of funds, the Dawn daily reported.
Work will be initiated in the first phase on the 109-km Burhan-Havellian-Mansehra expressway.
National Highway Authority member Sabir Hassan said that upgradation of the highway would enable the country to play a central role in the regional transit trade.
He said the authority was working on 141 projects in the country involving construction or repair of 8,900 km of road.
The National Highway Authority’s total length of network is 11,900 km.
