Govt to undertake Karachi Northern bypass, Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway projects: Murad Saeed

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Communications Murad Saeed Thursday said the government would undertake the projects of Karachi Northern Bypass and Sukkur-Hyderabad (M-6) motorway to be executed on built, operate and transfer basis.

Replying to a question of MNA Shahida Rehmani in the National Assembly through Question Hour, the minister said presently most part of Karachi Northern Bypass was single carriageway, however, level of service on it was good and the accident ratio was not high.

Northern bypass linked Karachi Port Trust to National Highway and Super Highway. He said dualization of 56 kilometer long Northern Bypass was planned and hiring of consultants had been initiated.

Its dualization through public private partnership mode or funding through Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) was being considered.

The construction work might start after hiring of consultants and the contractor by the end of year 2019.

The project was commercially feasible and would be undertaken on built, operate and transfer basis.

He told that his ministry was focusing on axle management of heavy vehicles. A mechanism for implementation of National Road Safety Policy was being prepared in consultation with the provincial governments.

Accidents on highways occur due to heavy traffic, he said adding Pakistan had 13,000 kilometres long roads and revenue collection from 75 toll plazas were spent on maintenance of roads.

He said repair work on Pindi Jhelum road was started, adding the revenue of National Highway Authority (NHA) would be taken to Rs 100 billion and the money earned would be spent on repairing roads.

He said a part of Sukkur-Multan (M-5) motorway was being executed in Sindh province. The project was started in August 2016 and the present government was ensuring its timely completion, the minister said adding the government was also preparing a detailed design and commercial feasibility of Sukkur-Hyderabad (M-6) km motorway. The timeline for award of this project is December, 2019 and the federal government would release funds for the project.

The previous government did not release funds for the projects announced by it, Murad added.

The minister said Chakdara-Timergara, Akhagram-Dir and Kalkatak-Chitral roads would be rebuilt and made part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The minister told that the government approved the PC-1  amounting to Rs 17,423 million for the roads.

The improvement and widening of 30 kilometres long Chakdara-Chitral (N-45) road would be partly funded through Korean EXIM Bank.

He said Rs 542,149 million was allocated in PSDP in the year 2018-19 for construction of sections of Chakdara-Timergara (38.85 km), Akhagram-Dir section (43.39 km) and Kalkatak-Chitral section (47.98 km).

Timergara-Akhagram (26 km) section of N-45 was rehabilitated through periodic maintenance scheme under Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP) of National Highway Authority in 2015.

It was a two lane carriageway and was in fair condition, Murad said adding Prime Minister inaugurated the western route which would benefit the smaller provinces.