The successful completion of road projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework would depend on the next government's priorities, as no major motorway is going to be completed during the remaining three months of the tenure of the incumbent government. Official sources revealed to Business Recorder that work on the rail projects under the CPEC is yet to start in which case road projects connecting Gawadar Port to China are vital to reap the full benefits of CPEC.
The Pakistan Muslim League-led government earmarked Rs 88 billion for National Highway Authority (NHA) in 2016-17, and released over Rs 100 billion for ongoing and new road projects. In the following year the government earmarked Rs 325.7 billion for NHA in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) of which Rs 207.6 billion has been released so far. In contrast the government earmarked Rs 63.3 billion for power sector in 2017-18 of which Rs 31.2 billion has been released so far which shows the government is more focused on road projects even than power projects.
NHA has proposed a total of Rs 823.13 billion for 103 ongoing and new projects in PSDP 2018-19 including Rs 471.62 billion local and Rs 351.5 billion foreign components. NHA has proposed over Rs 326 billion for 14 CPEC road projects in the PSDP 2018-19. Sources revealed that cost overruns in mega projects of NHA have become routine due to inconsistent policies, shortage of funds, security reasons, corruption and willful incompetence on the part of contractors. Massive cost overruns and delay in road projects is feared, if the next government changes its allocation priorities.
According to documents NHA expects to complete Hakla-D I Khan project of the western corridor (CPEC) by May 2019, Sukkur-Multan Motorway by August 2019, Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (work is yet to be started), Havelian-Thakot by October 2018, Yakmuch-Kahran by January 2020, Zhob-Mughalkot by August 2018, Jaglot-Skardu by July 2020, Rakhi Gajj-Bewata by July 2019, Lahore-Sialkot by December 2018 and Shorkot-Khanewal by September 2018. However, according to the sources these projects are unlikely to be completed on schedule. Some of CPEC road projects are in very initial stages like Zhob to Kuchlak road as the project is currently at the feasibility stage. Further PC-1 of Mirpur-Mangla-Muzaffarabad-Mansehra road (CPEC) and Gilgit-Shandoor-Chitral-Chakdara road (CPEC) projects have just been submitted to the Planning Commission.
NHA last week failed to satisfy a parliamentary panel on progress on vital portion of western route of CPEC, required for effective connectivity to Gwadar Port after revealing that land has not been acquired so for. The Senate Standing Committee on Communications observed that Rs 5 billion is being earmarked for the last three years for land acquisition, but so far no land has been acquired.
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