ISLAMABAD: After the completion of under-construction motorway projects, the length of motorway network in Pakistan will reach 2,000 kilometres in next three years.
An official of National Highway Authority (NHA) said that during past one year two section of 115 KM have been added to the motorway network while overlay of 357 KM Lahore-Islamabad Motorway has nearly been completed.
About the under construction projects, he said that inauguration of the construction work of the Havelian-Thakot Motorway section in April this year. The 118-kilometre section of the motorway – part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) – is expected to be complete in three years with a cost of Rs 133.90 billion.
He said that the work on 59 KM Burhan-Havelian expressway (E-35) – also known as Hazara Motorway – is in full swing and it will become operational by December 2017.The project costs Rs 129 billion.
He said that the work on 393 KM Sukkur-Multan motorway was inaugurated on May 6 and the six-lane project will be completed with the financial assistance of China. The motorway starting from Multan would pass through Jalalpur, Peerwala, Ahmed Pur, East Ubaro, Pano Aqil and end at Sukkur.
The project would comprise of 54 bridges including one major bridge on River Sutlej. The motorway will have 12 service areas, 10 rest areas, 11 interchanges, 10 flyovers, and 426 underpasses, he said.
Construction for the Rs 17 billion Gojra-Shorkot section had been divided into two phases to ensure completion within the shortest possible time. He said the 56 KM Faisalabad-Gojra and 57 KM Khanewal-Multan had already been completed and have become functional.
On August 13, the Shorkot-Khanewal section of M-4 motorway was launched. The project will be completed at a cost of about Rs 22 billion over a period of two years. After completion, the project will improve Pakistan’s vital north-south road network, promote economic growth, create employment opportunities and ensure regional connectivity.
According to the contract agreement the existing 4 Lane Karachi-Hyderabad Superhighway is being converted in 6-lane Motorway meeting international standards, in line with international practices over next 25 years.
The portion of the Karachi-Lahore Motorway between Abdul Hakeem and Lahore will be 230 KM in length and will roughly parallel the Ravi River. The road will begin in Lahore and pass six interchanges before joining the M-4 motorway near Shorkot and Khanewal.
Construction work of the Lahore-Khanewal section – costing approximately $1.5 billion – was launched in November 2015. Moreover overlay of the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2) has almost been completed at the cost of Rs 46 billion.