The government has approved Rs. 580 million for the construction of the Datta-Kotkay Bypass, a key project that will link the Karakoram Highway with the Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.
The new bypass, approved by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, aims to ease traffic congestion in Mansehra and surrounding areas. It will also provide a faster route for tourists and travelers heading to Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a newly built government middle school in the Huddobandi area on Sunday, Kamal Saleem Swati, provincial deputy president of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), said the bypass would be a game changer for local connectivity.
“This road will save time and reduce traffic jams for visitors traveling between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and AJK,” he said. “It will also promote tourism and trade in Kaghan Valley and other parts of Mansehra district.”
He noted that the students of the Huddobandi school had been taking classes in a temporary setup since the old building was demolished due to structural damage.
Kamal Saleem Swati emphasized that the government had initiated several long-neglected development projects to address public hardships. “We have launched projects that were ignored for years. Our focus is on improving infrastructure and easing people’s lives,” he added.
He further announced that construction of farm-to-market roads and pavements in Safada village council is underway, with Rs. 100 million allocated from the KP Assembly Speaker’s development fund.
Meanwhile, Safada Village Council Chairman Basharat Ali Swati praised Babar Saleem Swati for his continued efforts in approving funds for vital road and infrastructure projects in the region.