Daily Times

The National Highway Authority (NHA) has completed commercial feasibility study of the Sialkot-Kharian Motorway project while the physical work on the project would start soon.

This was informed during a meeting presided over by minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar here Friday. The meeting reviewed various projects under PPP mode.

The meeting was informed that the 70-kilometer-long 4-lane Sambrial (Sialkot)-Kharian Motorway project would be built on Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis under Public Private Partnership arrangements in collaboration with NHA.

During the meeting, CEO briefed the Minister on various administrative and operational matters of Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA). Malik Ahmad said that PPPA in collaboration with NHA is seeking participation of qualified private sector parties to construct and operate 70 km long 4-lane Sialkot Kharian highway on PPP mode. He said that they are also engaging development parties for transaction structure for the project, capable of offering value-for-money solution to the public sector while allowing a viable structure for the private sector participation. Asad Umar said that Sialkot-Kharian Motorway is an important project and it will go a long way in establishing the nation’s PPP program and paving the way for more similar projects and transactions in the future”.

We need to make well-structured PPPs to attract more investment and increase the efficiency of these investments and these projects would help to provide good road infrastructure facilities in collaboration with private sector, said Asad Umar. Additional Secretary Ministry of Planning, Chief Executive Officer PPPA Malik Ahmed Khan and senior officials were present in the meeting.