South Korean contractor Sambu Construction has won a US$133.4M contract from Pakistan’s National Highway Authority to complete the construction of the 8.6km Lowari road tunnel.
Sambu signed the deal on 19 September. Also, a joint venture between Austria’s Geoconsult and Typsa of Spain has finally been appointed to oversee construction after months of delays. The scheme also includes about 14km of approach road and a 900m section of cut-and-cover tunnel.
The tunnel will be built using NATM techniques. When completed in three years, it will form the only all-weather connection between Pakistan’s Chitral valley and other parts of the country through the Lowari pass. It would also provide land access to the Central Asian Republics and boost trade.
