ISLAMABAD: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government has approved a major project to build two twin tunnels through the Margalla Hills, connecting Khanpur and Haripur in Hazara directly with Islamabad.
Once completed, the new tunnels will cut the distance between Haripur and Islamabad to just 8 kilometres, reducing travel time to 10–15 minutes.
Construction of the tunnels will start in December 2025 and is expected to be completed by December 25, 2028. The tunnels will be built with proper lighting and according to international standards. The scheme has been added to the K-P Annual Development Programme 2025.
The tunnels will provide a direct link from the M-15 Motorway to Islamabad’s D-12 sector, giving access to the Hazara Motorway. The project will be carried out under a public-private partnership, with Rs1 billion set aside for the first year. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has also agreed to cooperate.
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Officials of the Hazara Development Authority said a feasibility study has already been completed. They added that the project had been delayed for almost 20 years due to shortage of funds and frequent changes of government.
Authorities also said that even if the federal government does not join the project, the K-P government is committed to completing it. They added that talks with the government have made encouraging progress.
