‘NHA completing Rs 750bn projects out of Rs 25bn budget’

[Salman]

‘NHA completing Rs 750bn projects out of Rs 25bn budget’



ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Communications Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan has said that presently National Highway Authority (NHA) is completing projects amounting to Rs 750 billion, while NHA’s annual budget amounts to Rs 25 billion.

In such an inadequate budget, the NHA schemes cannot be realised within the scheduled timeframe. He proposed to complete the ongoing projects on priority basis instead of initiating new projects. He was addressing the groundbreaking ceremony regarding widening of under construction Khushal Garh Bridge on Indus River from 2-lane to 4-Lane. Senior officers from Ministry of Communications and NHA were also present. Dr Khan said, PC-I cost of 4-Lane bridge is Rs 3.4 billion and now its width will be 21 metres. Keeping in view the increasing economic activities, the bridge is being extended. He said, Khushal Garh Bridge is located on Tarnol-Kohat highway (N-80), and its 108 kms portion falls in Punjab while segment of 38 kms is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The bridge will bridge provide an important link between economic lifeline Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar National Highway (N-5) and Indus Highway (N-55). Continuing he said, the new bridge will facilitate transportation of oil tankers. The areas of Kohat, DI Khan, Lakki Marwat, Karak, Bannu, Hangu and Tank districts, and South and North Waziristan Agencies, Orakzai Agency and Kurram Agency will be benefitted at large, and new avenues of socio-economic uplift will be opened up there, he added.

Earlier, Dr Khan performed groundbreaking ceremony of Takht Bhai flyover at NHA HQ ... 1.2 kms long is 2-lane flyover will be completed in 18-month time period at cost of Rs 582.124 million. On this occasion, addressing NHA officers and staff, Dr Khan recalled that during the last five years we tried our level best for development of NHA and built highways and motorways throughout the country. He desired to enhance revenue through NHA’s right of way. He proposed a separate revenue department in NHA. He expressed deep sense of gratitude to officers and workers of NHA for cooperation they extended to him during the last five years. NHA Chairman Hamid Ali Khan also thanked Dr Khan for his guidance to NHA. Much potential exists for further development of NHA as its projects play pivotal role for economic and social development of the country, he said.