No less than 6-lane motorway to be constructed in future: communication minister

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan has said that in future, no motorway will be constructed with less than six lanes.

He stated this during the departmental briefing of National Highways Authority (NHA) where the NHA chairman, federal secretary Communications and other senior officers were present.

The minister also stated that the motorways from Karachi to Sukkur and Sialkot, Kharian to Islamabad will be the top priority of the NHA.

He further directed that these two motorways should also be constructed in at least three lanes on one side so that these can fulfill the needs of the future.

Khan observed that a network of high-quality roads and highways is being laid in the country, the NHA should collect maximum revenue by constructing toll plaza for heavy traffic, public and private transport.

He said that to strictly ensure the restriction of axle load on these roads and motorways which should not be violated at all. Khan further said that it is inevitable to dismiss the corrupt and incompetent staff from the NHA.

He further said that in those areas where there are problems in revenue collection, it can be solved by handing over the toll collection to the private sector.

Khan directed that every year the NHA should set its annual revenue targets which will surely not only increase the efficiency and revenue of this institution but also bring a clear and positive difference.

The minister said that only taking huge funds from the government and other institutions and spending them is not a expertise but the available resources, professional skills and manpower have to be utilised by adopting a policy of self-reliance while NHA should be a financially stable and independent entity in the future.

Khan said that improving the means of transportation is one of our priorities while creating a business model compatible with modern requirements has become inevitable as well. By introducing a new vision in NHA, we should not only enhance our capacity globally by offering our expert services to other countries but also earn a significant amount of foreign exchange from it which speaks volumes for Pakistani institutions, he added.

The NHA chairman, while giving a briefing to Khan, said that in the current situation it is a bitter reality that only 13 percent of toll tax is being collected from 57 percent of the NHA highways which is very less while the integrated plan is a dire need which can increase revenue manifold.

He said that the process of refinement has been started in the light of the instructions of the federal minister for communication and measures are being proposed for short- and long-term policy in this regard.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024