ATTABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has inaugurated the 24-kilometer re-aligned patch of the Karakorum Highway and five tunnels at Attabad Lake after a massive landslide destroyed the road five years ago.
The artificial Attabad Lake came into existence in 2010 when a huge landslide blocked the flow of Hunza River. The disaster had claimed several lives, submerged surrounding villages and displaced around 25,000 people of the area.
The Prime Minister unveiled the plaque of Rs 27.5 billion project besides taking a round of the re-aligned road.
Earlier, Chairman National Highway Authority Shahid Ashraf Tarar briefed the Prime Minister about the features and importance of the multi-million dollar project completed in three years.
The NHA chief said the project named as “Re-Alignment of Karakorum Highway at Attabad Barrier Lake”, would restore the road link of Gojal Valley with rest of Gilgit Baltistan. He said China Road and Bridge Corporation of China and National Highway Authority jointly executed the project.
Shahid Ashraf said the project consists of five tunnels with total length of seven kilometers, two bridges and 78 culverts. The tunnels have been named as Pakistan-China Friendship Tunnels.
Attabad tunnel project would also help restore an access to the tourists travelling from China to Islamabad through this route. The landslide dam had also hit hard the trade between Pakistan and China and with the completion of the project, the trade activity will be restored. China’s ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong was present.
