Swat Motorway’s 2nd phase to be on BOT basis
The 80 kilometre-long second phase of the Swat Motorway will be built on the build-operate-transfer process.
This was decided during a meeting of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) committee on the motorway from at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan.
The meeting agreed to, in-principal, the proposed financial models for the construction of the second phase of the motorway project - from Chakdara Interchange to Fatehpur Madyan - and gave the go-ahead for the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model through a public-private partnership.
Mahmood further directed authorities to set realistic timelines for the groundbreaking and subsequent completion of the project, making it clear that the project should be completed within the stipulated time.
The meeting was briefed in detail about the project while its proposed financial models and implementation plans were thoroughly discussed.
The chief minister announced that he will try and make the project a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) portfolio. However, he stated that the most suitable financial approach and model will be adopted for the execution of this project.
“Keeping in view the increasing volume of traffic on the Swat Motorway Phase-I, it is very easy to predict that the second phase of the motorway will be feasible in all respects,” the chief minister said, adding, “It will not only provide high-speed travelling facilities to the public but will also prove to be a milestone for the promotion of local and international tourism, agriculture and trade and economic activities.”
He further underlined the need to establish an economic zone near the Swat motorway so that the region can emerge as a trade and economic hub in the future.
Earlier, participants of the meeting were told that the Swat Motorway phase-II would initially consist of a four-lane highway, which can be extendable to six lanes in the future.
Nine interchanges are planed along the highway include the Chakdara Interchange, Shamozai Interchange, Barikot Interchange, Takhtaband Interchange, Kanju Interchange, Malam Jabba Interchange, Sher Palam Interchange, Matta-Khwazkhela Interchange and Madyan Interchange. The average distance between the interchanges is around 10 kilometres and link highways will also be provided where needed. Eight main bridges over River Swat will also be constructed.
The total estimated cost of the project is Rs60.5 billion, including Rs20.5 billion for land acquisition and resettlement along with Rs37.2 billion for the construction of the motorway itself.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 22nd, 2020.