ISLAMABAD -An important under-construction road project Sukkur-MultanMotorway is likely to be completed in time and become operational by yearend.An official of National Highway Authority (NHA) over 80 percent of totalwork has been completed, out of which 392 kilometers roadbed and culvertpassage and other structures have been completed. He said that all thebridges have been completed and asphalt pavement works are advancing atfull speed and the building construction and ancillary works also beingimplemented actively.
Multan-Shujaabad section of the project was inaugurated last year by theoutgoing government, but it could not be opened to traffic due toincomplete work of the 33 km section, the official said.The motorway is a major component of the China Pakistan Economic Corridorwith the bulk of financing to be distributed by various Chinese state-ownedbanks, he said.In January 2016 the contract was awarded to China State ConstructionEngineering. He said that objective of the motorway was to provide ahigh-speed, six-lane toll road facility for efficient and safetransportation of passengers and goods to and from industrial and economichubs of the country. The road is being built after a framework agreementbetween the governments of Pakistan and China, he said.
Starting from Multan the six-lane motorway passes through JalalpurPeerwala, Ahmed Pur East, Rahimyar Khan, Sadiqabad, Ubaro,Pano Aqil and endat Sukkur.The project consists of 54 bridges including one major bridge on RiverSutlej. The motorway section has 12 service areas, 10 rest areas, 11interchanges, 10 flyovers, and 426 underpasses.Interchanges of Sukkur-Multan project are located at Multan, Shujaabad,Jalalpur Pirwala, Uch Sharif, Taranda, Zahir Peer, Bahadarpur, Guddu,Ghotki, Pano Aqil, Sukkur, Bahawalpur Road, Lodhran Road, Alipur Road,Chachran Sharif Road, Kaman Bhutta – Sadiqabad Road,and Sadiqabad-KashmoreRoad,JDW Unit 3Sugar Mill Road and Grand Trunk Road.
