NHA seeks Rs34b Saudi funding for road projects

The five major road projects also include rehabilitation of Noushki-Dalbadin Section

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is seeking financial assistance worth Rs34 billion from the Saudi government for five major road projects that also includes rehabilitation of Noushki-Dalbadin Section – a major route that links Pakistan with Iran, it has been learnt.

The request for financial assistance was made during a meeting between Ambassador of Saudi Arabia based in Pakistan Nawaf Saeed Ahmad Al-Maliki and Federal Minister for Communications Hafiz Abdul Karim on Wednesday.

The purpose of the meeting was to give a detailed briefing to the ambassador about the development of road infrastructure including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Communication and the National Highway Authority (NHA) among others.

Sharing details of the projects with The Express Tribune, a senior official of the Ministry of Communication, who wished not to be named, said: “The projects include, dualization of Hub Uthal section including 4-lane Hub bypass (N-25) worth Rs1.3 billion, rehabilitation of Taxila-Haripur Road (N-125)  worth Rs1,980 million, construction of a bridge at Rohri (N-5) worth Rs3,600 million, Lower Topa-Kohala Road (S-2) worth Rs8,500 million and rehabilitation of Noushki–Dalbadin Section (N-40) worth Rs6,600 million.”

The official said rehabilitation of the Noushki-Dalbadin section (N-40) is the need of the hour as it links several cities of Pakistan with Iran.

He added that Saudi Arabia had already funded construction of two tunnels at Kohri/Kamsar (3.7 km) and Chellpani (0.6 km) on Chella Bandi-Patika road project in AJK worth Rs6.2 billion and rehabilitation and improvement of Chakdara-Mangora-Fatehpur road (N-95) with a grant of Rs2.7 billion.