Significant progress was made in a meeting chaired by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi regarding the Peshawar Northern Bypass project, during which the provincial government decided to provide Rs 3.9 billion as bridge financing to ensure the project’s early completion.

It was also decided in the meeting that the provincial government would provide an additional Rs 1 billion for the construction of two underpasses and one bridge on the Northern Bypass.

Officials of the National Highway Authority (NHA) assured the meeting that the Northern Bypass project would be completed by June 2026. The meeting was informed that Rs 23.5 billion has so far been spent on the project, while overall financial progress has reached 85.6 percent.

According to the briefing, physical progress on Package One has been completed 100 percent, Package Two 64 percent, Package Three 86.6 percent, and Package Three-A 69 percent.

Chief Minister Sohail Afridi said that due to insufficient funding and delays by the federal government, the project has remained incomplete since 2010, which has also slowed down other development projects in the province.

He emphasized that the Northern Bypass is a public welfare project and that the provincial government will extend all possible support to ensure its timely completion. 

He added that completion of the project will not only improve travel facilities but also significantly boost commercial activities.

The meeting was attended by Finance Advisor Muzammil Aslam, a Member of National Highways, the Peshawar Commissioner, and officials of relevant provincial departments, who were given a detailed briefing on the project’s progress.