MULTAN: The National Highway Authority is going to open the Multan-SukkurMotorway (M-5) for light traffic from Thursday (today).
NHA central zone (Punjab) head of communication Sibtain Raza Lodhi saidthat the project was formally inaugurated on Tuesday. He said soon heavytraffic would also be allowed to use the expressway.
The inauguration ceremony was held in Islamabad during the 9th meeting ofjoint coordination committee on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Built in 39 months, the six lane M-5 is 392 kilometers long. The ChinaState Engineering Company executed the project which has 12 service areas,10 rest areas, 54 bridges, 10 flyovers, 426 underpasses and bridge overSutlej river. Travel time between Multan and Sukkur will reduce to threehours and 15 minutes from eight hours through the national highway.
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According to NHA sources, the Chinese government wanted a major openingceremony as it was a vital project under the CPEC but the Pakistanigovernment was reluctant.
They said although the tendering process of service and rest areas had beencompleted but so far no facility, including the petrol pump, is availableen-route.
