Lowari Tunnel
A view of the Lowari Tunnel as work on the project continues during the night
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan |
| Coordinates | 35°21′0″N 71°48′0″E / 35.35000°N 71.80000°ECoordinates: 35°21′0″N 71°48′0″E / 35.35000°N 71.80000°E |
| Route |
 Dir-Chitral Highway
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| Crosses | Lowari Pass |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | September 1975 |
| Technical | |
| Length |
Main Tunnel: 8.75 kilometres (5.44 mi) Second Tunnel: 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) Access Roads: 18 kilometres (11 mi) |
Main Tunnel: 8.75 kilometres (5.44 mi)
Second Tunnel: 2 kilometres (1.2 mi)
Lowari Tunnel (Urdu: لواري سرنگ) is a group of two under construction road tunnels, 8.75km (5.4 mi) and 2km (1.2 mi) long, situated in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, connecting Dir and Chitral Valley. The project also includes 18km of access roads. Construction is slated to be completed by June, 2017.
The Lowari Tunnel was originally conceived in 1956 by the Government of Pakistan but there is no historical record to this claim. Recorded history shows that the Lowari Tunnel project idea was discussed in the National Assembly of Pakistan by the member from Chitral Attalique, Jafar Ali Shah, during 1972–1975. Work on the tunnel began on 8 September 1975, inaugurated by Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, but was stopped in 1976 on the pretext of lack of funds and other development priorities. Work on the tunnel did not restart until September 2005.
The tunnel will reduce the current fourteen-hour drive from Chitral to Peshawar by 50%. The tunnel will also facilitate all-weather transportation, as during the long winter season the Lowari Pass is closed, and people of Chitral have to travel into Afghanistan and then back into Pakistan to reach the rest of the country. When the border is closed Chitral remains virtually inaccessible during the winter.
Construction on the tunnel was originally begun in September 1975 as a railway tunnel, but work was stopped in 1977 after a change of government resulted in other development priorities. Construction resumed in September, 2005 initially with an expected completion in three years, but that time was extended after it was decided to convert it to a road tunnel.
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