Proposed 8.5 km tunnel to improve route between Dir and Chitral which is currently impassable for six months of the year. Sweden has provided $2.4 million for detailed engineering design. Previous tunnel attempt 30 years ago collapsed under construction following water inflow. March 1997.   Sweden and Japan have expressed interest in financing and execution of the project. Feasibility study and design review by Sweco International at a cost of US$1.5 million. Visit www.sweco.se 18/02.   Notice for prequalification of contractors for construction of the 8.5 km Lowari tunnel and its north and south approaches, 40 km altogether. NATM support with TBM or any other suitable method of construction. Work start in mid-year. Construction to last four years. Total cost around Rs6 billion ($130 million). Deadline for submission 1st February, 2003. The prequalification questionnaire can be purchased from 7th to 15th January, 2003 from General Manager (C&S), National Highway Authority, Ministry of Communications, 27 Mauve Area, G-9/1, PO Box 1205, Islamabad. Tel. +92 51 9260565, fax +92 51 9260419, e-mail nhacb@yahoo.com. Visit www.nha.gov.pk 02/03.  The National Highway Authority (NHA) has awarded to Geoconsult (Austria), Typsa (Spain), ECIL (Pakistan) and Loya & EMP (Pakistan) a Rs280 million contract to review the feasibility study of the proposed 8.5 km Lowari tunnel project, located at a height of 3,200 m above sea level. The project cost totals around Rs6 billion ($130 million). Visit www.geoconsult.at 26/03.The National Highway Authority (NHA) signed a Rs8 billion contract with Korean company Sambu for the construction of the much-awaited 8.8 km-long 7.55 m-wide 7.15 m-high Lowari tunnel. The tunnel will connect Chitral valley and other parts of the country through the 3,110 m Lowari Pass between Dir and Mirkhani in Chitral. The first feasibility of the tunnel was carried out in 1955 while work on the project was started in 1975 by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). But the project went into trouble and ultimately work was abandoned. Work on the project was restarted in 1995 but could not be continued. The project will be completed in three years. Visit www.sambu.co.kr and www.nha.gov.pk 40/05.