Peshawar-Torkham Road Rehabilitation

Speeches Shim

The Peshawar-­Torkham section of National Highway N­5 was originally built by Sher Shah Suri in the 14th Century and was subsequently used by Mughal empires as a trade route. Over the last fifty years the road has been used as a key transit and trade route for Afghanistan. However, during the last 8 years the use of this road has increased exponentially, both for military and civilian purposes including serving as a NATO supply route and providing the Pakistani military with access to key areas in the FATA and KP. As a result of this increased use there has been extensive damage to the road over the past few years and considerable congestion at narrow bridge crossings. The 46 kilometer Peshawar­-Torkham section of the road requires extensive rehabilitation and in some areas new construction in order to meet increased commercial traffic, as well as military needs, through historically unstable tribal areas.
 
OBJECTIVES
The Peshawar-Torkham road project is intended to: Improve local economic opportunities
Allow internal and international trade to flow more easily Offer employment opportunities for local workers; and,
Extend and support the delivery of basic infrastructure services by the Government of Pakistan.
 
MAIN ACTIVITIES
  • Bring the road up to the technical standards of the NHA (which are those of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials [AASHTO], meet all weather conditions and allow for standard speeds
  • of 80 km/hour and 50 km/hour in plain and hilly areas, respectively and allow for a maximum of 18,000 pounds per vehicle axle.
  • The existing carriageway is being reconstructed with a consistent 7.3 meters of pavement width, 2.5 meters Asphaltic shoulders on each side and a minimum embankment height of 1 meter.
  • Sharp curves will be mitigated in order to accommodate long heavy transport vehicles (maximum 60­feet in length).
  • Three new bridges will be constructed and four bridges will be rehabilitated. Protection walls (retaining and breast walls) will be constructed.
  • Cross drainage structure (e.g., culverts and causeways) will be constructed in order to allow rain water to drain off the road.
  • Weighing facilities will be establish at Jamrud and Torkham to control overloading.
RESULTS TO DATE
  • PIL for section 1 has been signed from mission and FATA sect. with a total cost of $9.97M.
  • The FATA Secretariat’s contractor, the Frontier Works Organization (FWO), has deployed to the site and detour for traffic diversion has been established.
  • Work on cross drainage structure is in progress and 3 no. culverts have been completed. work on main carriageway, Retaining walls, and side drain is in progress.