Less developed areas: NA body for completion of NHA projects on priority basis

All national highways and motorways should be constructed with national zeal while less-developed areas must be given special attention. These recommendations were passed by National Assembly's Standing Committee on Communications in its meeting held here with MNA Muzammil Qureshi in the chair. The committee was apprised that during financial year 2018-19, the National Highway Authority (NHA) will work on 100 projects and an amount of Rs 790.656 billion will be spent on the projects. The panel approved all the projects and recommended that the projects in the less-developed and backward areas should be completed on priority basis.
It was also recommended that Jandola-Zoab Road, Quetta-Kuchlak-Zoab Road, Shahdad Kot Bypass, Karachi Northern Bypass and the projects of less-developed areas should also be included in PSDP of NHA for the 2018-19. The panel was apprised that the foundation stone of Sihala Flyover would be laid in first week of March 2018 and the work would start immediately. The committee also approved all projects including Green Line Project of Karachi and National Transport Research Centre (NTRC) for 2018-19. It said that there should be no politics while undertaking projects of national importance, especially highways, and they should be completed within the stipulated period of time no matter whose is in power.
The committee recommended that less-developed and backward regions should be given special priority, as these areas need the attention of the government given poor road infrastructure. The committee constituted a sub-committee to check the condition of the roads in southern Punjab and Sindh and submit a report within a month.