Development of Gwadar Port road linkages NHA’s top priority

[LahoreEstate]

Tuesday, February 17, 2009
ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) was attaching top priority to development of road linkages to the Gwadar Port which can prove backbone of the country’s economy in the near future.

A source in the NHA told APP on Monday that road connectivity with the Gwadar port was crucial for making it hub of transit trade between Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics and China.

He named the three road linkages being built for Gwadar port. These included Gawadar-Turbat-Hoshab-Panjgur-Nag-Basima-Surab (N-85) which links Gwadar to N-25 RCD Highway at Surab. The NHA has awarded contract for upgradation of this federalised road to Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

Basima-Khuzdar-Ratodero will be another road to connect Gwadar to N-85 & N-25- RCD Highway at Khuzdar and N-55 Indus Highway at Ratodero. Third link road for the Gwadar port is Basima-Surab-Kalat- Mastung-Quetta-Chaman which linked Gwadar to Quetta and Chaman through N-25 RCD Highway.

The source said construction work would be started on Kallat-Quetta-Chaman road in few days while the roads from Khanozai to Qilla Saifullah and Gwadar to Jewani have been completed. He also said work on Gwadar-Gabd and Qilla Saifulah-Zhob is near completion, as the Federal Government has released funds. The road from Ratodero to Shahdadkot is also nearing completion and would be opened within one month.

Efficient road network of a country always play an important role in its development and the government is focusing to improve this network up to international standards. The source said the democratic government wanted to bring real development in Balochistan and make the Gwadar Port second largest port of the country which could play central role in the country’s economy. He said in the present fiscal year, a huge amount has been allocated for the national highways programme with main thrust on the remaining work on Makran Coastal Road, Nutal-Sibi-Dhadar Section (N-65), Ratodero-Shahdadkot-Khuzdar Road, Qilla Saifullah- Loralai-Bewata Section of (N-70), Gwadar Ratodero Road (Khuzdar- Khori, Ratodero-Quba Saeed Khan & Gwadar- Turbat) and Hoshab- Panjgur-Nag-Baseema-Surab (450 km long section).

He said that under Phase-II, a new motorway corridor on the west of the Indus touching Balochistan would be developed as a long-term measure. It is envisaged to develop industrial clusters, oil storage facilities and oil and gas pipelines along the proposed motorway and expressway corridors.

http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=162987