The federal government has yet to release any amount for the land acquisition / construction of western alignment of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) under the public sector development programme (PSDP) 2015-16, which may delay the project's execution, it is learnt. The government has repeatedly assured the opposition parties that the western route of the CPEC will be implemented in letter and spirit as per an All-Party Conference (APC) decision.
The western route connects northern route with Gwadar while traversing through Barahma Bahatar, Fateh Jang, Pindi Gheb, Kundal, D.I Khan, Mughalkot, Zhob, Quetta, Kalat, Surab. The government earmarked Rs 20 billion in PSDP 2015-16 for two CPEC projects falling in the western route, namely (i) land acquisition / construction of western alignment and other China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects and (ii) construction of Islamabad - Mianwali - D.I. Khan CPEC route including land acquisition and technical study (CPEC).
However, the latest data of Planning Commission shows that no amount has been released for these projects in the current financial year. Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) Shahid Ashraf Tarar while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Communication recently stated that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has diverted Rs 20 billion, saved from other projects, to road projects under the CPEC bringing the total allocation to Rs 40 billion for the current financial year 2015-16.
He further stated that section 4 has been in placed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for land acquisition for the Hasanabadal-D.I.Khan section under the CPEC and work would start in March 2016. Following the directives of the Prime Minister land would be acquired for a six-lane motorway while D.I.Khan-Zhob section would be upgraded to the status of a motorway.
NHA spokesperson told Business Recorder that PC-1 of the project for construction of Islamabad - Mianwali - D.I. Khan CPEC route, including land acquisition and technical study (CPEC), has been submitted to the Planning Commission. "We are hopeful to receive Rs 5 billion by the end of current month," said the spokesperson, adding that the project would be executed in the first week of April.
Barahama Bahtar - Fateh Jang - Pindi Gheb - Kundal - DI Khan (285 km) will be constructed as a 4-lane access-limited Highway with geometric specifications of a motorway. Right of Way (ROW) of 100m will be acquired which is a standard for 6-lane motorway. With the addition of one lane to either side in future, as per traffic demand, the facility will become a 6-lane motorway. The feasibility study and design is being done by M/s NESPAK, official added.
Eastern route comprises existing network and commences from Burhan utilising the existing/under-construction network of Peshawar - Karachi Motorway to reach Multan. Using Multan-Sukkur, the route extends to the already existing Sukkur-Shikarpur from where it reaches Ratodero and then using Motorway M-8 it will reach Gwadar via the Wangu hills, Khuzdar, Basima, and onwards taking the alignment of western route, ie, Panjgur, Hoshab and Turbat.
Currently, China is financing only two projects namely, Havilian -Thakot and Multan-Sukkar road projects under the CPEC, while several other road projects are being financed by Asian Development Bank and the government of Pakistan. The spokesperson said that Karachi-Haiderabad (M-9), which is part of CPEC, has been awarded to Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) on Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis.
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