As per directive of Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Imran Khan on reaching out to the public through holding Khuli Kachehris by organizations under the Federal Government, Chairman National Highway Authority Capt ® Muhammad Khurram Agha held E-Kachehri at headoffice of the Authority through NHA official Facebook Page and answered to the questions raised by the people all over the country.
In his opening remarks, Chairman National Highway Authority Capt ® Muhammad Khurram Agha said, we are committed to provide better services to the travelers on motorways and national highways throughout the country. He said, total length of NHA network is more than 13000 Kms. NHA is endeavoring to improve maintenance of the roads and gear up pace of work on motorways and national highways building schemes to ensure their timely completion. Speaking about Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway, he said, land acquisition work is underway, while steps are being taken for early start of work on this project. In order to facilitate the road users, Balkasar-Mianwali road is being repaired. Sambrial-Kharian project has been tendered while design and feasibility work on Kharain-Rawalpindi project is in progress. He said steps are being taken to start work on Barakahu Flyover project, for smooth flow of traffic there.
Giving answers to the questions placed by the people, Chairman National Highway Authority Capt ® Muhammad Khurram Agha said, upgradation and dualisation of Balkasar-Mianwali-Muzaffargarh road will be undertaken on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis. NHA is also planning to control traffic congestion at Abbottabad. He said, priority is being attached to road maintenance schemes in Sindh Province. He expected that work on Kashmore-Bypass will be started by the end of this year with the cooperation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). He said, pace of maintenance work on Gharo-Keti-Bander-Thatta road is being geared up. Work on Hala-Sakrand project will be started in one month period. He said, NHA has planned for dualisation of the entire Indus Highway and that work on this highway is in progress in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Answering to a question he said, Bahrain-Kalam road project has been re-tendered. Work is being completed for award of Chitral-Shandur road project. He said, maintenance work on Thakot-Raikot section is also in progress. On completion of tendering process, work on Rakhi Gajj – Bewata project will be started.
He said, work on Gilgit-Skardu road will be completed by end of this year. He hoped Hakla-D.I.Khan motorway project will also be completed by July/August this year. Similarly work on Lodhran-Multan section will also undertake in two months. A comprehensive project is being planned to improve Lahore-Gujranwala section of N-5, he said. Design work is being done by the consultant for Shahdara Flyover near Lahore. This project will also be undertaken on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. He said, funds for repair and maintenance of roads will be released in one week.