ISLAMABAD: The National Highways Authority (NHA) has launched Geographic Information System (GIS) survey and development of geo database of its entire network aimed at increasing its revenue. The project will enable the NHA to digitize the complete information regarding utilities and commercial amenities in the Right of Way (ROW) of the NHA network. To date, around 220,910 commercial amenities have been identified and digitized.
After completion of entire GIS mapping, a substantial increase in the NHA revenue is expected. The data of inventoried and digitized NHA assets will be used for optimal revenue management. Speaking at the launch of the GIS, Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed said the targets set during the last two years were achieved well in time. He said, the GIS survey would enable the NHA to manage and monitor commercial and non-commercial amenities all along the NHA network, which would eventually lead to increase in the authority' s revenue at large. He further told that eight road projects would be undertaken this year and Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway had been tendered internationally.
The launching ceremony of the GIS was also attended by Federal Secretary Communications Zafar Hasan, Chairman National Highway Authority Capt (retired) Sikander Qayyum, and the senior officers from the Ministry of Communications and the NHA.
Saeed said, under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Covid-19 pandemic was tackled in an effective way that was commended on the international level. Besides, national reserves have been increased, trade deficit is reduced, ML-1 project has been approved, work on Bhasha Dam has been started, and Peshawar Metro Bus Project has also been inaugurated. Government steps, he said, have improved image of the country at the international level. Continuing, he said, the NHA has planned to undertake eight projects this year, which include, Balkasar-Mainwali-Muzaffarabad Highway, Karachi-Quetta-Chaman Highway, Barakahu and Shahdara Flyover, Shikarpur-Rajanpur Highway, Zhob-Kuchlak Highway, Kararo-Wadh Highway, Lodhran-Multan, and Chakdara-Chitral Highway.
Present government, he said, will build more roads and will also focus on promotion of tourism that will generate employment opportunities. Through a business plan, the NHA is endeavoring to enhance its revenue that will help to reduce load on the national exchequer.
Besides building roads, the range of Ehsaas Programme will be extended that will pave the way to make country a welfare state in the real sense. He further said the affairs of the NHA are being run in a transparent manner and process of making the authority financially independent is in progress. Under countrywide Ehsaas Programme, steps are underway for welfare and betterment of the poor.
Hasan said, through the GIS survey of Right of Way, the NHA is being made a model for other institutes of the country. For this purpose, cooperation of the SPARCO is being obtained. The NHA's assets will be managed and supervised in a better way under this system.
Qayyum said, as per vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan and guidance of Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed NHA had been taken on the track of self-reliance and transparency. During the last two years, all the set goals were achieved successfully in record time frame and we are ready for more challenges.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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