Govt to allocate Rs198b for national highways

ISLAMABAD:

The federal government intends to allocate Rs198 billion for the construction and uplifting of national highways in the fiscal year 2021-22 under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), a spokesperson told on Tuesday.

For 32 new projects, including repair and dualisation of Mianwali Muzaffargarh Road, additional carriageway Balksar Mianwali Road, Sialkot-Kharian Motorway and Bhara Kahu flyover, it is proposed to earmark more than Rs60 billion, according to documents available with The Express Tribune.

The documents stated that Rs198 billion allocation is earmarked for 90 projects. The repair and dualisation of the 286 kilometres (kms) of Mianwali Muzaffargarh Road are expected to cost Rs72 billion.

The project will be completed on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. Rs4 billion will be allocated for the project in the next budget.

Similarly, the additional carriageway and repair of 199-kms Balksar Mianwali Road will cost Rs55 billion while Rs8 billion is earmarked for the project.

The 69-kms Sialkot-Kharian motorway will require Rs45 billion and the recommendation is to allocate Rs4 billion for the project.

The PSDP further recommend an allocation of Rs9 billion for the Gilgit-Shandur Road and Rs2 billion for the construction of Mashkel-Pangjur Road.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2021.