China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Minister says Western Route to be completed during present regime

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed has said that the Western Route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was undertaken from Balochistan by the present government and this dream of prosperity has been turned into a reality, said a press release issued on Wednesday.

The Western Route of the CPEC will also be completed during the present regime. He was expressing views on the occasion of ground breaking of dualization of Quetta Western Bypass, Construction of Dera Murad Jamali Bypass and Ziarat Mor-Kach-Harnai-Sanjavi road projects of National Highway Authority, Ministry of Communications, on Wednesday.

Murad Saeed said that during the previous 15 years, 1,100 km long highways were planned.

While during the last two and half years, 3,300 Km long national highways projects were planned and work started on them. He said, the present government has turned the dream of western route of the CPEC into a reality and this route will be completed during the present government.

He said work on Zhob-Khuzdar project has been started while DI Khan-Zhob project has been approved and work will be started soon.

The Federal Minister for Communications and Postal Services, Murad Saeed, recalled that Basima-Khuzdar and Hoshab-Awaran projects have also been started.

Work on 796 km long dualization of Chaman-Quetta-Karachi-Highway will be started this year.

Construction and extension of national highways and motorways in Balochistan will not only pave the way for socio-economic uplift of far-flung areas of Balochistan but it will also cast far reaching positive effects on the economy of the entire region, the federal minister added. Giving details of the projects, Chairman National Highways Authority Capt Muhammad Khurram Agha (retired) said, 22.7 Km long dualization of Quetta Western Bypass project will be completed at contract cost of Rs 3,938.78 million. This two-lane additional carriageway will be completed in 24 months.

15 bridges and 34 culverts will also be constructed. More than 1,715 jobs will be created due to this project. Completion of this project will ease out traffic congestion and reduce travel time by 30-45 minutes, which will result in vehicles operating cost savings.

He said, 11 Km long Dera Murad Jamali Bypass will be completed at contract cost of Rs 1,456.3 million.

Consisting of two lanes, the bypass will be completed in 18 months time period. One bridge and 31 culverts will be built in this project.

On completion of the bypass, congestion in Dera Murad Jamali Bypass urban will be removed. Chairman National Highways Authority Capt Muhammad Khurram Agha (retired) said, construction of 162 Km long Ziarat Mor-Kach-Harnai-Sanjavi Road is of immense importance. The project will be completed at contract cost of Rs 8,379.7 million in two years. With 12 bridges and 415 culverts, the project will create more than 8611 jobs for the locals.

The project will improve socio-economic conditions of the area. On realisation, the project will reduce vehicles operating cost by 30 percent where as travelling time saving will be more than 50 percent.—PR

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021