Rs 500 bn being spent on Gwadar road connectivity Other projects: NHA

[Pak_Army]

Rs 500 bn being spent on Gwadar road connectivity Other projects: NHA
ISLAMABAD: National Highway Authority (NHA) will spend Rs 500 billion on construction of National Trade Corridor (NTC), upgradation of Karakoram Highway (KKH) and providing connectivity to Gwadar Port by end of 2010.
Chairman NHA Altaf Ahmed Chaudhry told APP in an exclusive chat here Sunday that the authority would spend Rs 200 billion on construction and upgradation of motorways and expressways as part of NTC to provide link to Afghanistan and Central Asian countries.
The NTC will link upper parts of the country in the North with ports in the South to reduce travel time and fuel cost by improving existing road network, N-5, N-55 and introducing new motorways, M-4, M-5, M-6, M-7, M-8, M-9. On completion of the road development network, he said, the travel time from Peshawar to Karachi would be reduced by 50 percent, traffic accidents by 70 percent and road losses would be reduced to the tune of $1.5 billion per annum.
To a question he said widening and rehabilitation of Hasanabdal-Abbottabad-Thakot-Gilgit-Khunjerab (KKH) Highway (N-35 also known as Karakoram Highway (KKH) was one of the priorities of the NHA. He said that Rs 45 billion are being spent on upgradation of Raikot-Khunjerab section of the KKH. He said work on Mansehra-Sazin section of N-35 would start in a couple of months. After rehabilitation and expansion of KKH, which was 8th wonder of the world China, Kazakhstan and Kyrghazistan could export their goods through Gwadar ports. He said that 140 km section of KKH would submerge in Basha dam water and new road would be constructed on new alignment by 2015.
To a question Chairman NHA Altaf Ahmed Chaudhry said that 40 per cent of NHA projects were in Balochistan and timely completion of these projects will enhance the socio-economic position of the people and would enhance inter-provincial harmony. He said that Shadadkot-Wangu Hills section and Wangu Hills-Gwadar Section of Ratto Derro-Gwadar Motorway would be completed by end of 2010 which would play in key role in providing much needed connectivity to Gwadar port.
He said that Karachi-Bela-Khuzdar-Kalat-Quetta-Chaman Highway (N-25) would be rehabilitated by end of 2010 which would also provide connectivity to Gwadar and reduce travel time from Quetta to Karachi to about 5 hours. The NHA chairman said that out of 500 kilometers 225 km section of the D.I.Khan-Zhob-Kuchlack Road (N-50) has been completed while the rest would be completed by 2010. He said that upgradation work of Quetta-D.G.Khan section of N-70 funded by ADB and government of Pakistan is underway and would be completed by 2010.
Replying to a question he said that the roads network across Balochistan would be completed by 2012. He said the federal government was spending billions of rupees on the construction of roads in Balochistan, which would connect the province with Central Asian states. He said the Lak Pass Tunnel was the part of the Kalat-Quetta-Chaman highway and would be opened early next year.
The road networks were being laid in Balochistan would also provide great transportation facilities to the people and would not only promote and enhance trade activities but also improve education, socio-economic condition of the people, reduce poverty and diminish unemployment in the province.