ADB approves $320mn loan to upgrade rural roads in KPK

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $320 million loan to upgrade around 900 kilometers of rural roads in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province that are susceptible to floods and are in poor condition.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rural Roads Development Project will cover key routes that link remote communities to education, health care, and markets, a statement noted on Friday.

The project includes measures to incorporate climate-resilient design, road safety enhancement, and sustainable maintenance practices.

ADB Director General for Central and West Asia Yevgeniy Zhukov commented in a statement that the project would reduce travel time, lower transportation costs, and increase access to economic opportunities.

Flooding events since 2010 have substantially damaged the road network, hampering connectivity and escalating transportation costs.

ADB Senior Transport Specialist Seunghyun Kim said ADB would help the government conduct a comprehensive study on flood susceptibility, with a focus on landslide vulnerability across the province, to identify priority roads.

ADB will help prepare concessional contracts for operation and maintenance of two tourism roads, which will contribute to the sustainability of the road network.