Kashif Zaman
Director (PR), NHA
Country’s smaller provinces get the major share in the road infrastructure development schemes undertaken by the National Highway Authority (NHA) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) leading with eleven (11) projects followed by Balochistan and Sindh with ten (10) and nine (9) projects respectively.
In KPK, the all important Attaabad Barrier Lake (N-35, 24 km) has been successfully completed. Similarly, work on Jhalkhad-Chilas (N-15), Thahkot-Raikot (N-35, 147 km), Burhan- Havelian Expressway (E-35, 59 km) , Nowshera-Chakdara-Dir (N-45) and Peshawar Northern Bypass is in full swing. All these projects are set to be finished in the coming year. Moreover, work on Burhan-D.I.Khan (N-50, 240 km), Jaglot-Skardu (S-1, 164 km), Havelian-Thakot (N-35, 120 km) and Chakdara-Mangora-Fatehpur (N-95, 82 km) sections is expected to start in coming months.
The Balochistan province, being high on government’s priorities list, is home to number of key projects. The Surab-Chaman section (N-25, 226 km) is in the final stages whereas over two-third work is completed on several other schemes including Khuzdar-Shahdadkot (M-8, 148 km), Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab (M-8, 193 km) and Kolpur Bypass. Progress on Surab-Hoshab (N-85, 450 km) is fifty percent while Khuzdar-Basima (N-30, 110 km) is in the feasibility stage. Also, three major projects Qila Saifullah-Waigum Rud (N-70, 128 km), Mughal Kot-Zhob (N-50, 81 km) and Rakhi Gaaj-Bewata (N-70, 32.6 km) are all set to start soon.
In Sindh, over half a dozen schemes are near completion. These include the all important Lyari Expressway (81%), Gharo-Keti Bunder road (84%), Larkana-Moenjodaro (82%), Larkana-Kamber (82%), Qazi Ahmed-Amri Bridge (70%) and Larkana-Nasirabad road (64%). Though progress on these schemes was somewhat hampered by the lack of funds in the past, one can expect their early completion once the required funds become available. Most importantly, work on two key projects, the Sukkur-Multan Motorway (M-9, 392 km) and Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (M-9, 296 km) is scheduled to get underway very soon.
The above mentioned schemes, on completion, will not only fulfill the primary objective of establishing an efficient transport and communication network but also enhance the national harmony through a qualitative change in the socio-economic condition of the people living in the smaller provinces.