ISLAMABAD    -  The government has issued Rs 600 million for the un­der-construction Indus riv­er bridge between Taunsa and Layyah to make it op­erational after the comple­tion of two-lane approach roads having over 24 kilo­meters lengths. An official of the National Highway Authority told APP on Monday, that the estimated cost of the project was Rs 9775.600 million whereas by end of the previous fis­cal year about Rs 5102.849 had been spent on the proj­ect. He said that thrown forward amount on July 1, 2022, was 4672.751 mil­lion. The official said that the bridge linking two im­portant cities of southern Punjab, Layyah and Taunsa had been accomplished but apporach roads and river training works were yet to be completed. The bridge is located between Layyah, the east bank of the Indus River, and Taunsa, the west bank of the river in district DG Khan, he said adding work on the Rs 2690 mil­lion project had started in February 2018 as ECNEC had given approval of the project in October 2017. Due to the absence of proper river-crossing be­tween the two cities, the only two links available are DI Khan-Darya Khan Bridge located 88 km up­stream of the project site and Taunsa Barrage lo­cated about 52km down­stream, said the NHA official. With no bridge linking Layyah and Ta­unsa, the residents of both the cities have been facing immense difficulties as they have to travel 100km by road from Layyah to Taunsa or vice versa.