Hazara Motorway or M-15 Motorway , is a 180 kilometer controlled-access motorway linking the Burhan Interchange near Hasan Abdal in Punjab province with Haripur, Havelian, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Shinkiari, Battagram, and Thakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The project is divided into 7 packages; the first four are already completed and were inaugurated on 27 December 2017 & 18 November 2019. The Hasan Abdal and Havelian section was financed by the Asian Development Bank, along with a grant from the United Kingdom while the Havelian to Shinkiari and Shinkiari to Thakot section of the motorway was financed under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The motorway starts from Havelian, passes through Abbottabad, Mansehra and Shinkiari, and ends at Thakot. The Motorway has five tunnels two at Abbottabad and one each at Battal, Karmong and Mansehra. Up to Haripur it is six-lane controlled access while from Havelian to Mansehra portion is four lanes. Mansehra-Thakot section has 2 lanes.
Route
The 180 km long, motorway is 6 lane till Haripur after which its 4 Lane till Mansehra and 2 lane till Thakot. The route begins at its southernmost extent - the Burhan Interchange, located to the west of Hasan Abdal near the village of Koliya on the banks of the Haro River in northern Punjab province on M1 Motorway. The route tracks northeast, and crosses the Haro River. The Jharikass Interchange will be located immediately east of the river, where the motorway will intersect with the N-35 National Highway at Tareen Abad bus stop, further eastwards is Hattar Industrial Area and on West is the Village Char. The motorway will continue eastwards, where it will connect to Haripur Road via the Hattar Interchange near the town of Kot Najibullah. From there it will continue towards east to N-125 National Highway, which it will connect via the Chechiyan Interchange, 6 miles south of Haripur - thus serving as a bypass and alternative route to the N-35 National Highway which courses directly through the city of Haripur. The motorway will further continue eastwards for 2 miles before turning northeast towards the town of Shah Maqsood, where the Shah Maqsood Interchange will connect the motorway, for a second time, with the N-35 National Highway. From there the highway will run roughly parallel to the N-35 National Highway as it travels northeast towards the city of Havelian. At the confluence of the Dor River and the Salhad Nalah, the Havelian Interchange will connect the motorway with the N-35 National Highway for direct access to Havelian. The next phase will extend the motorwayfurther north to Abbottabad via the 1.7 km Shimla tunnel and will continue on to Manshera, Battagram and terminate at Thakot to rejoin the N-35.
Hasan Abdal-Shah Maqsood Opening
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the construction of the project on November 29, 2014. The first phase of the project would cost PKR 33 billion and will include the, six-lane, fenced portion of the motorway from Hasan Abdal to Havelian. Packages one and two comprising a 39.61 stretch of road between Burhan and Serai Saleh were awarded to the Chinese firm Gezhouba Group. Prime MinisterShahid Khaqan Abbasi inaugurated the 47-kilometre stretch from Burhan-Shah Maqsood Interchange to Havelian on 27 December 2017. The Prime Minister unveiled the plaque at Lora Chowk interchange, located 13 kilometres from Haripur.
Shah Maqsood-Mansehra Opening
The 40 kilometer long Shah Maqsood to Mansehra section inaugurated on 18 Nov 2019 by Prime Minister Imran Khan. General Manager CPEC Tanveer Ishaq informed the media delegation that Havelian to Thakot Hazara motorway the section was divided into three sections which included 47 bridges, 6 tunnels and 6 service areas, Abbottabad Shimla Hill tunnel 1.75 Kilometer, 2nd tunnel 390 meters, Mansehra Lassan Nawab tunnel 2.75 kilometer.
