Road dualisation resumes after decade-long delay

Rs6.17b project aims to reduce accidents, traffic congestion

JARANWALA:

After a 10-year delay, the Highway Department has finally issued tenders for the long-awaited project to dualise the Faisalabad-Chiniot-Sargodha road.

The project will cover 24 kilometres from Kamalpur Interchange to Tehsil Chowk, Chiniot, with an estimated cost of Rs6.17 billion and a completion period of two years.

The project, originally proposed in 2015 at an estimated cost of Rs3 billion, was delayed due to mismanagement, funding shortages, and bureaucratic hurdles.

Over the years, the cost has escalated to Rs17 billion. Initially, the road was carpeted in 2008 with financial aid from China, but increasing traffic and deterioration prompted the Punjab government to develop a dualisation plan in 2014.

A PC-1 was prepared, but the project struggled to gain approval due to funding issues.

In 2018, under political pressure, the project was formally launched, with a tender awarded to the National Logistics Cell (NLC). However, the Punjab government failed to release funds, leading to the cancellation of the tender.

The project was revived in 2019 under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, with Rs800 million released for land acquisition.

Despite this, the project was shelved again due to a lack of further funding.

The project gained momentum during the 2023-24 financial year, thanks to efforts by federal minister Qaisar Ahmad Sheikh and MPA Moulana Ilyas Chinioti, as well as public protests led by social activists.

In response, the Highway Department divided the project into two phases: Phase 1, from Kamalpur Interchange to District Chiniot, and Phase 2, from Chiniot to Phattay Stop, Lalian Tehsil.

According to Rana Azhar Hussain, Superintending Engineer of the Highway Circle, the road handles a high volume of heavy traffic and has been the site of numerous accidents due to its poor condition. The bidding process will be conducted via e-tendering, with bids to be opened on September 21, 2024, in the presence of a tender committee.