Ziaullah, a 40-year-old resident of Mingora, the central city of the Swat region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is involved in the cosmetics industry. He manufactures cosmetics products not only for local markets but also sends them to Peshawar, Lahore, and Karachi. One major issue he faces is transporting raw materials to Swat and delivering finished products to other cities due to traffic problems and poor road conditions in Mingora and its surroundings.
He believes that if an expressway is constructed from Chakdara to Swat, many of the local population’s transportation issues will be resolved.
Swat, along with the northern districts of Dir and Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is known for its tourism, attracting millions of domestic and foreign tourists every year. To address transportation issues, the provincial government initiated the construction of the Swat Expressway in 2016, starting from the Colonel Sher Khan Interchange on Motorway M1 in Nowshera district. By June 2019, it was completed up to Chakdara in Lower Dir, 40 kilometers from Mingora.
Construction Costs and Duration of the Second Phase
The second phase of the Swat Expressway, extending 80 kilometers from Chakdara to the Fatehpur area of Swat, has begun. Project Director Engineer Barkat Ullah Khan from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Highways Authority told the BBC that the construction is being carried out under a public-private partnership and that the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) has been contracted for the project. He mentioned that the project will cost 36.04 billion rupees, with 12 billion rupees from private companies, 5 billion rupees from the provincial government, and 19 billion rupees to be borrowed from banks. Additionally, due to rising construction material rates, the provincial government will provide a 4.3 billion rupees loan on easy terms. The project is expected to be completed within two years. Once the expressway is operational, the company will recover its costs through a 25-year tax collection.
Benefits of the Swat Expressway
Shir Mohammad Khan, a farmer from Chakdara who grows crops and vegetables on three acres, says that the construction of the second phase of the expressway has started on his land. Although he will not be able to grow crops and vegetables on part of his land this year, he is pleased because he believes that once the project is completed, local farmers will be able to easily transport their goods to markets.
Haji Zahid Khan, president of the Swat Hotel Association and a key member of the National Peace Jirga, told the BBC that the economy of Swat Valley heavily depends on tourism, with around 250,000 tourists visiting annually, including about 30,000 foreigners. He noted that there are 450 hotels in Swat Valley, and the region experiences millions of rupees in economic activity every year. Completion of the Swat Expressway is expected to increase economic activities.
Luqman Khan, who has been running a hotel in Kalam for the past seven years, says that frequent rains, snowfall, and floods often damage the connecting roads, significantly reducing the number of tourists and affecting all businesses, including hotels. He believes that the expressway will promote tourism.
Similarly, Shahid Ali, who has been running a bus service from Mingora to Lahore for the past 15 years, notes that the first phase of the expressway construction reduced travel time from ten hours to just six. He expects that the second phase will further reduce the travel time to Swat.
Local Population’s Objections
There are some objections from the local population regarding the construction of the second phase of the Swat Expressway. The main concern is that they will lose agricultural land and some homes will be demolished. The Swat National Peace Jirga is strongly opposed to the project, arguing that the government started such a large project without consulting the local population. They claim that the road’s length was unnecessarily extended, and instead of utilizing barren land along the river, agricultural lands are being used. They worry that the project will further reduce the already scarce level land in Swat, leading to job losses.
Haji Zahid Khan also mentioned that existing commercial centers in Chakdara, Thana, Brekot, Mingora, Fiza Gat, and Charbagh will be affected because tourists will bypass these areas after getting on the motorway at Chakdara and will not stop at local markets as they used to.
In response to these objections, Project Director Engineer Barkat Ullah Khan said that the government is aware of the need to minimize the use of agricultural land for the project, which is why the expressway will have four tracks instead of six. However, there could be further expansion if necessary. He also mentioned that the expressway will be 50 to 55 meters wide, similar to motorways built in other parts of the country. To facilitate local trade and convenience, nine interchanges will be constructed along the expressway.
Compensation for Landowners
Hamid Ahmed, a 50-year-old resident of Kanju whose income depends on his agricultural land, says that 35 out of his 50 kanal of land is included in the expressway plan. He believes that the compensation rate set by the government is too low and is requesting compensation at market rates so he can buy land elsewhere.
Engineer Barkat Ullah Khan mentioned that the government has allocated 20 billion rupees for land compensation, with a full record maintained to ensure compensation is provided at market rates.
Environmental Impact
Tourists visit Swat to enjoy its natural beauty. However, floods have caused various issues for the local population, damaging the natural beauty of the area. The expressway’s construction will not only use a significant amount of agricultural land but also cut down fruit and wild trees.
According to officials, an environmental protection agency permit has been requested for the project. Fateh Ullah, Chairman of Kabal Tehsil, expressed concerns that several bridges will be constructed over the Swat River, which could result in floodwaters damaging the road or affecting nearby communities.
In response to these concerns, Engineer Barkat Ullah Khan assured that comprehensive planning has been done to ensure the road and local population are protected from future floods.
