GILGIT: The long-awaited construction work on Nagar Highway got underway on Thursday as the road will provide an alternative to the Karakuram Highway, which remains blocked at Hasanabad in Hunza in summer due to Glacial outburst.The federal funded project will provide access to tourists destination of the area like majestic Rakaposhi Briefing Federal Secretary, Kashmir Affairs and GilgitBaltistan Babar Hayat Tarar about the project, project director Mohammad Essa said: `The 40-kmlong Nagar Highway, a Public Sector Development Project, starts off from KKH in Pissan on the left side of the Hunza River and passes through Nagar and ends in famous tourist point Hoper Nagar.

The Federal Secretary Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Babar Hayat Tarar along with officials visited the Pissan Nagar, the starting point ofthe road on Thursday to review the construction work of the road.

The highway is estimated to cost Rs4 billion, Mohammad Essa said, adding it will join KKH at Ganish and Murtazaabad Hunza.

In the summer, the KKH remains blocked for many months owing to the glacial outburst flooding from Shisper Glacier in Hasanabad. Last year, the glacier outburst flooding swept away a bridge on the KKH at Hasanabad and submerged a portion of the KKH. The Nagar highway will also shorten the distance of KKH in the area and provide access to many tourist areas besides improving inter-regional connectivity.

Babar Hayat Tarar was told that this highway would be the first of its kind along with cycling track, this will enable access to the tourist spots of Nagar. The construction of the highway will usher in a new era of promotion and development of tourism in the region.

A delegation of Supreme Council Nagar led by Council Chairman DrMustan Ali met the federal secretary. Dr Mastan Ali thanked the federal government on behalf of the Nagar nation for starting work on the highway and said that the construction of the Nagar Highway has been a long-standing demand of the people of Nagar.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Secretary for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Babar Hayat Tarar said he had also been the chief secretary and he understands the problems of its people.

Mr Tarar said that the federal government is taking all measures for the welfare of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and the development of this area. `The construction of the road will be completed in next three years. Despite the financial difficulties, the federal government will pay the required amount for this project on time,` he said.

The project contract has been awarded to National Logistics Cell (NLC) after bidding process in Februarythisyear.