The National Highway Authority (NHA) will launch National Highways Improvement Programme (NHIP) at a cost of $261 million with financial assistance of World Bank.
Under NHIP, specific sections of Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar National Highway (N-5) will be rehabilitated, strengthened and re-surfaced.
NHA Executive Board, which met on Saturday under the chairmanship of General Farrukh Javed, accorded approval of award of contracts for repair and rehabilitation as well as construction of several road projects.
According to a press release of the Authority, matters relating to construction and repair of national highways and bridges, particularly various aspects of National Highway Improvement Programme, were reviewed in detail.
The NHIP cost, $ 261 million, would be shared by World Bank, who will provide $ 200 million and $ 61 million will be funded from toll revenue by the government and NHA.
The NHA Executive Board accorded approval for award of contracts for rehabilitation of Hyderabad-Hala, Karachi-Hyderabad, Hala-Chanesar Bridge and Chanesar Bridge-Moro existing carriageways (Contract Packages), the statement said.
The Executive Board also gave approval for award of contract for Highway Rehabilitation Project (N-5) NHIP (Nowshera-Peshawar) while establishment of Highway Research & Training Centre was also approved.
The meeting also accorded approval for award of contracts for construction of Gwadar-Turbat, Turbat-Khoshab and Khuzdar-Shahadad Kot sections of Gwadar Ratodero Motorway (M-8).
Besides, approval was also given for award of contract for construction of six bridges including approach roads on Kuchlac-Zhob-D.I Khan national highway (N-50).
PC-1 for NWFP road development sector and Sub-Regional connectivity project and PC-1 for construction of Peshawar Northern Bypass were also approved in the meeting. Geometric Improvement of Lakpass-Noushki (N-40) project was also approved.
The meeting accorded approval for Procurement of Consultant Services for Contract Administration and Construction Supervision of National Highway Rehabilitation Project, Karachi Northern Bypass Project Variation Order No.3, and relocation of Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB) lines coming within ROW of Karachi Northern Bypass Project.
Consultancy Supervision (Variation Order No.6) for Lyari Expressway project and rehabilitation of existing carriageway between Lahore and Okara (extension of time) were also approved.
The NHA Executive Board also approved inclusion of Askari Commercial Bank Limited in NHA Panel, extension of contract period of Deputy Director (Environment) and appointment of Deputy Director (Engineering) on contract basis.
Malik M. Saeed Khan, additional secretary of Planning and Development Division, Arif Mansur, additional secretary (B&A) of Finance Division, Mussadaq Muhammad Khan, joint secretary of Ministry of Communications, Karamat Ullah Chaudhry, Vice President of Nespak, Muhammad Kazim Idris, Chief of NTRC, Malik Muhammad Afzal, member finance, NHA, Aziz-ul-Haq Mirza, member (Operations), NHA and Raja Nowsherwan, member (planning), NHA participated in the meeting.
Brigadier Imtiaz Hussain, DG (Admn), NHA, Colonel Misbah-ur-Rehman, Director (Vigilance), NHA, Ejaz Ahmed Chaudhry, Secretary NHA and Chaudhry Khalid Nasim, Director (Coord), NHA were also present on this occasion.