CPEC: Pakistan parliamentary committee directed to urgently complete work on motorways
by Shafqat Ali
ISLAMABAD, June 2(Gwadar Pro)—A Pakistani parliamentary committee on communications, directed to urgently complete work on motorways under the gigantic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on Tuesday afternoon.
The sixth meeting of the Standing Committee on Communications was held under the chairmanship of Murtaza Javed Abbasi.
The Committee was updated about progress on service areas and the completion of fuel stations on Hazara Motorway, Multan - Sukkur and Lahore – Multan motorways, part of the CPEC.
The Committee was informed that proposed services to be provided on the Hazara motorway include fuel stations, public toilets, tuck shops, tyre shops, lube shops and workshops, said an official statement.
In this connection procurement is under process and fuel facility will be available in six months'time period. The Committee directed to shorten the period required in the process. Moreover, fuel stations on Multan-Sukker motorway at Rohri, Quttub Din Shah, Zahirpir and Multan are under process, while the fueling facility at Azampur and Uch Sharif is available.
The Secretary Ministry of Communications briefed the Committee on Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2021-22. He informed the Committee that proposed PSDP 2021-22, consists of 90 projects amounting to Rs.198.119 billion. Among these projects, 32 were on-going projects, 26 were new on-going projects and 32 were proposed new projects. He further informed that completions of existing projects were given priority.
The Committee discussed the issue of establishment of two toll plazas within an area of 2 kilometers in Jamshoro and Mansehra. The General Manager Revenue National Highway Authority (NHA) briefed the Committee and informed that two different roads transverse from Hassanabdal to Manshera one is N-35 (Hassanabdal – Havelian – Manshra – Khunjrab Pass) and the other is E-35 (Hassanabdal – Havelian – Manshra – Thakot). Both toll plazas are established as per NHA Act 1991 (Amended in 2001) on different routes/arteries of NHA road network. The Committee directed that policy should be to facilitate public and desired a detailed briefing by NHA in the next meeting with a solution for the public.
The Member Sindh NHA briefed the Committee on Shahdad Kot bypass (Shahdad Kot – Karachi). He informed me that the Ratodero – Gwader was constructed in 2012 and Larkana – Kamber Road was constructed during 2016. During the financial year 2019-20, the Government of Sindh started working on the eastern side of bypass 5.5 kms and the work was under progress. While the western side of Kamber - Shahdadkot bypass is the part of the upcoming Annual Development Plan (ADP) Scheme of the Government of Sindh.
Members Prince Muhammad Nawaz Allai, Saleh Muhammad, Engineer Usman Khan Tarakai, Imran Khattak, Aamir Talal Gopang, Muhammad Aslam Khan, Mir Khan Muhammad Jamali, Jai Parkash, Usama Qadri, Ehsanullah Reki, Dr Darshan, Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Ramesh Lal, Moulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali, Amjad Ali Khan and the senior officers from the Ministry of Communications, National Highways Authority, Motorways Police and Pakistan Post attended the meeting.
