The government of Pakistan is set to complete 16 major road and highway projects as authorities move several schemes into their final stages.
The projects include upgrades to major national highways and motorways, new roads, interchanges and additional carriageways across the country. Several are expected to be ready for inauguration soon.
The progress was reviewed at a meeting on National Highway Authority (NHA) projects chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad.
Among the projects nearing completion are an upgrade of the GT Road between Tee Chowk in Islamabad and Banth, the remodelling of Islamabad’s Chungi No. 26 interchange and the extension of Margalla Avenue from GT Road to the M-1 motorway.
Work is also nearing completion on the Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad section of the M-4 motorway, the Quetta Western Bypass, Pindi Gheb-Jand Road and the Bhong Interchange on the M-5 motorway.
Other schemes include the Nokandi-Mashkhel Road, the conversion of Old Bannu Road into a dual carriageway and improvements to several sections of the Indus Highway, or N-55.
These include the Sehwan-San section, the Ratodero-Shikarpur section and an additional carriageway on the Pataro-Sindh section.
The meeting was told that NHA revenue increased from Rs109bn to Rs130bn during the last financial year.
Officials expect revenue to reach Rs160bn during the current financial year.
Several major schemes are being financed through NHA’s own revenue, including the Sialkot-Kharian Motorway (M-12), Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway (M-13), Peshawar Northern Bypass and reconstruction of the Jaglot-Skardu Road.
The M-4 upgrade and the Multan-Lodhran section of the N-5 are also among the projects being funded through NHA resources.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered third-party audits of all ongoing NHA projects and called for greater use of public-private partnerships to develop highways, motorways and expressways.
Officials said several new projects are expected to be launched soon, including the Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway, the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), and rehabilitation and reconstruction work on sections of the GT Road and N-5.
The government is also considering the construction of the Guru Nanak Expressway, which would link Kartarpur with Nankana Sahib.
Another proposed scheme is the Mansehra-Chilas Expressway through Naran. Officials say the road could reduce the distance between the two cities by about 146km.
Mr Shehbaz said improved transport links were important for economic development and instructed authorities to prioritise connections between remote areas and the rest of the country.
He said better road infrastructure could improve travel, while creating opportunities for businesses and employment.
