ISLAMABAD - The government, keeping in view the tourism potential, will start work on the Babusar Top tunnel connecting Kaghan Valley with Chilas Gilgit Baltistan during next financial year.
“The funds will be allocated in the next Public Sector Development Programme for the construction of Babusar Top tunnel to facilitate the tourists as well as the locals,” said a senior official of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan.
The Babusar Pass will be made all-weather by constructing an underground tunnel to make the transit route travel worthy during critical winter season, he said.
To a question, he said that other than improved and better connectivity in the region Industrial and Economic Zones would be established in Gilgit-Baltistan under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project to uplift the area and bring it at par with developed parts of the country.
Due to tax exemptions, the zones would be more beneficial for the entire country especially locals, he said, adding,that the Federal government was determined to remove 72 years deprivation of the local people.
To a question, he said that despite financial crunch, Gilgit Baltistan had been provided development funds.