Pakistan to spend multi-billion dollars on road network by 2015


The Pakistani government will spend 500 billion rupees (about 8.3 billion U.S. dollars) on rehabilitation and upgrading of highways and motorways by 2015, said a senior official on Thursday.

Minister for Communications Muhammad Shamim Siddiqui said during the present fiscal year, his ministry received 24 billion rupees (about 400 million dollars) for upgrading roads while during the coming fiscal year the amount is likely to reach 35 billion rupees (about 583 million dollars), state-run news agency APP reported.

He said that the development and upgrading of the road network was part of the government's plan on establishing the national trade corridor to boost economic activities in the country.

He said that 1,800 kms National Highway (N-5) from Karachi to Peshawar was being rehabilitated and upgraded.

And 1,400 kms Indus Highway (N-55) on the left bank of the Indus river was also being constructed according to the specifications of the Asian Highways recommended by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

He said that the ministry has also planned to link Karachi with Peshawar through network of motorways to provide third North-South link.

Shamim said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) had been signed with a Malaysian company for the construction of the motorway from Faisalabad to Khanewal (M-4) and Khanewal-Rajanpur section of Motorway (M-5) was also likely to be handed over to a Malaysian firm.

The Minister said with the completion of the road network, there would be two alternate routes available and traveling time between Karachi and Peshawar would be reduced by 50 percent.

He said that the National Highway Authority (NHA) would be restructured to meet future needs of the country.


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That indeed is most welcome. However it is not the issue of just building roads, it is building quality roads whereby it doesn't break up after a single monsoon shower. High quality and new building methods should be strictly adhered to otherwise it is going to be a more costlier option in the long run.

Not many countries in the world apart from Germany can boast about good road (not networks)....i mean check out the autobahn!

On the other hand, roads in London is appalling!

UAE can boast that all the highways/roads,every street are lit with light towers,not even USA has that

Need quality road, half goes to corrupt person only half spent on actual road works. Allah may help those contractors / departments. They do not fear.

its been long time since i have left pakistan but i do remember going around 7 or 8 years back as we use to go to faislabad by road from karachi and they started contructing the roads and i do remember going from shikarpur and rajanpur area which wasnt really open to everyone and there was only 1 road with 2 lanes which was built at that time but it was excellent and the road which they were building...u could see that its a lot more thicker than one feet i could have imagined some where around 1 and half feet but that were being made by army and if it still is the same standards than i am sure that they have good quality road and wont go anywhere for atleast 20 to 30 years.


SPEEDY
enjoy

man u'd be disappointed to know that the road to okara from rajanpur is still being built.The faisalabad road hasnot improved from sargodha side,but is better from jhang and areas towards multan.