Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway: CM, federal minister mulling executing project on PPP mode

HYDERABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Communication Minister Asad Mahmood along with their respective teams discussed launching of 306-km Sukkur-Hyderabad Motor-ways on public private partnership (PPP) mode.

However, Sindh CM expressed his reservations that the motorway from Peshawar to Sukkur was constructed through CPEC and PSDP, but its portion in Sindh was being delayed just to get it constructed on the PPP mode. He added it is an injustice with the people of the province. “Since it has become too late; therefore, my contention is that the federal government must ensure financial closure of the project within next six months so that it can be completed by March 2023,” the chief minister said.

The meeting held at Shahbaz Building Hyderabad was attended by Federal Minister Syed Khursheed Shah, provincial ministers Sharjeel Memon, Jam Khan Shoro, Zia Abbas Shah, Advisor Rasool Bux Chandio, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi and Secretary Works Imran Atta Soomro.

Federal Secretary Communication/ Chairman NHA Capt (retd) Muhammad Khurram, Member NHA Munir Memon, GM Planning NHA Ikram Saqlain, GM PPP NHA Azeem Tahir, GM NHA Iftikhar Mahboob, GM Sukkur-Hyderabad Motor-ways attended the meeting from federal govt/ NHA side.

Chairman NHA Capt (retd) M. Khurram briefing the meeting said that it would be a six-lane 306-km Motorway. He added that it would have 15 interchanges, one bridge over Indus, and 19 overpasses bridges.

At the outset of the meeting, the chief minister welcomed the federal ministers and said since he was visiting different districts to witness the progress of relief work being carried out in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, and Shaheed Benazirabad divisions, the meeting was held at Hyderabad.

It was pointed out that over 7500 acres of land were required in seven districts - Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Matiari, Benazirabad, Naushero Feroze, Khairpur, and Sukkur - for the project. Joint survey work has been conducted by NHA, Revenue, and settlement departments. A hydraulic model study of the River Indus Bridge has been conducted.=

Federal Minister Asad Mahmood assured the chief minister that the project would be launched well in time. He said that the provincial government would be kept in the loop in every development of the project.

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However, giving background of the Jamshoro-Sehwan Dual carriageway, the CM said that this is an important project which he had discussed with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his visit to Karachi on April 13, 2022.

He added that Jamshoro-Sehwan road belongs to the National Highway Authority. He said that his government took up the matter with the Federal Government for converting the road into a Dual Carriageway in a meeting held with Chairman, NHA on March 22, 2017. He added that his government agreed to bear a significant share, amounting to Rs.7 billion, in the total cost of the project. “This amount of Rs.7 billion was provided by his government to the Federal government on April 17, 2017, through at source deduction,” he said.

The CM recalled that in December 2017, he was informed by the Ministry of Communications that the procurement process has been completed and the project was ready for execution; however, since then the project was moving at a snail’s pace. “I have personally followed up this project with the federal government,” he said.

“Rising road traffic accidents (RTAs) has resulted in several deaths and injuries,” the CM said, adding the Ministry of Communications and NHA may be directed to expedite the project by next financial year to avoid any further deaths and injuries.

Federal Minister Asad Mahmood said that he has been travelling on this t road and no doubt it was dangerous. He said the pace of work has been accelerated it and would be completed shortly.

The chief minister after the meeting at Hyderabad drove to Tando Allahyar where he visited a tent city of the rain-affected people at the bypass road.

He spent some time with the affected people, and took details of their problems.

While going to Mirpurkhas, the CM visited Diwan Farm pumping station located in the area of taluka Jhando Mari. The pumping station meant to pump out accumulated rain/ saline water of Mithrao was not functional for want of power connection. The CM got it operationalized by calling Hesco chief and it started pumping out rainwater.

The visiting federal ministers and the chief minister agreed that all the highways and main roads damaged by heavy rains and floods would be repaired as a top priority.

In Mirpurkhas, the chief minister visited two tent cities set up along the Deh Borohi of Taluka Shujaabad where more than 15 villages, including their connecting road, were inundated. The CM directed DC to install a pumping station and discharge the water into Moro channel. He also visited the tent city of in Umerkot.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022