Islamabad: The government of Pakistan has decided to include the Babusar Top Tunnel project (N-15) in the China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor (CPEC), news sources reported on August 4. The proposal for the project’s inclusion will be shared with the Chinese side during the upcoming CPEC Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting.
The project is included in the CPEC projects for its importance to tourism and connectivity. The 13-kilometre-long Babusar Top Tunnel is one of the only roads that connect the Kaghan Valley and Chilas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Gilgit Baltistan (GB), making it an important tourist route for the northern regions. The tunnel is currently being developed by the National Highway Authority (NHA), with a feasibility study completed. Recently, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif visited the area and ordered the swift completion of the project, which is also vital for the year-round connectivity between KP and GB.
The area usually closes during the extreme winter months due to heavy snowfall. With the tunnel’s construction, locals and tourists will be able to travel to their regions and tourist sites without halt.
Nauman Ahmad is an imaginative Pisces whose love for literature and nature is unparalleled. When he's not reading or hiking, he's sleeping and eating, which gives him plenty of energy for his next adventure.
