ISLAMABAD – Construction work of 392-kilometer Sukkur-Multan Motorway isgoing on swiftly and is likely to be completed in time and becomeoperational by August next year.
An official of National Highway Authority (NHA) over 70 percent of totalwork has been completed, out of which 392 kilometer roadbed and culvertpassage, and other structures have been completed.
He said all the bridges are near completion, and asphalt pavement works areadvancing at full speed, and the building construction and ancillary worksalso being implemented actively.
The 33 km Multan-Shujaabad section of the project was inaugurated earlythis year but it could not be opened to traffic due to incomplete work ofthe 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 adding that the Pakistani government in January 2016 awardedthe contact to build this section to China State Construction Engineering.
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The purpose of the motorway is to provide a high-speed, six-lane toll roadfacility for efficient and safe transportation of passengers and goods toand from industrial and economic hubs of the country. The road is beingbuilt after a framework agreement between the governments of Pakistan andChina, he said.
Starting from Multan the six-lane motorway would pass through JalalpurPeerwala, Ahmed Pur East, Rahimyar Khan, Sadiqabad,Ubaro, Pano Aqil and endat Sukkur. The project would consist of 54 bridges including one majorbridge on River Sutlej. The motorway will have 12 service areas, 10 restareas, 11 interchanges, 10 flyovers, and 426 underpasses.
Its interchanges are located at Multan, Shujaabad, Jalalpur Pirwala, UchSharif, Taranda, Zahir Peer, Bahadarpur, Guddu, Ghotki, Pano Aqil, Sukkur,Bahawalpur Road, Lodhran Road, Alipur Road, Chachran Sharif Road, KamanBhutta – Sadiqabad Road and Sadiqabad Kashmore Road, JDW Unit 3Sugar MillRoad and Grand Trunk Road.
