Government to Upgrade 7 Key Roads in Gilgit-Baltistan
The federal government has identified seven road links spanning 464 kilometers across Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) for federalization under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s tourism initiative. The plan would place the roads under federal responsibility for construction, widening, rehabilitation and long-term maintenance.
The identified routes include the 54km Astore-Chilim Chowki Road, 31km Deosai-Skardu Road, 100km Skardu-Khaplu Road, 17km Skardu (Thorgu)-Shigar Road and 36km Karakoram Highway-Naltar to Satrangi Lake Road.
The other two routes, the 121km Thalichi-Astore-Rattu-Shounter Road and 105km Gorikot-Shagarthang-Skardu Road, are currently under construction.
The GB cabinet has approved the proposal, and the federal and GB governments have also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the plan. The proposal still requires approval from the federal cabinet.
Once the federal cabinet approves the plan, the NHA will take responsibility for developing and maintaining all seven road links. The federal government will provide funding for the work, while the GB government currently covers maintenance, widening and rehabilitation costs.
The government has also proposed introducing a toll tax for tourists visiting GB, while exempting local residents. According to the NHA official, the government could use revenue from the toll to finance improvements to the region’s road network.