Islamabad: Chairman China-Pakistan-Economic-Corridor (CPEC) Authority Lt. General (retired) Asim Saleem Bajwa has said that work on CPEC Western route is in full swing, and is being executed on a priority basis, according to news sources.
Giving details, he said that work on four-lane Hakla-DIKhan motorway is 86% complete and will be open to traffic in August or September this year. He added that the total length of the highway is 285 kilometers and construction work will be carried out in five packages. The first package consists of 55 kilometers and will be completed on priority, starting from Yarik near Dera Ismail Khan and ending at Rehmani Khel. Moreover, he said work on two other segments; Zhob-Quetta, and Hoshab-Awaran has already been initiated.
The infrastructure work includes construction of road, two Interchanges at Abdul Khel and Yarik, six underpasses, four bridges, residential facilities and other development works. Moreover, he said that motorway passes mostly through deserted, and so around 150,000 trees have been planted along the motorway. Giving details, he said motorway crossing Yarak-Zhob-Quetta, is 540 kilometer long and will decrease the distance from Islamabad to Quetta to only 830 kilometer and travel time to eight hours. Moreover, he said that the 146 kilometres Hoshab-Awaran motorway will improve connectivity with Gwadar port.
He also added that National Logistics Company (NLC) has completed all infrastructure work on the motorway keeping in view the international standards. Moreover, he said under the CPEC, some 1,100-kilometre roads have been completed while 850 kilometres are under construction. Talking about the overall progress of CPEC projects, the Authority’s official said they will move forward even faster in the years to come to further strengthen the bilateral relations between Pakistan and China.
Hazafa reveres the art of writing and has been turned into a property enthusiast by profession. Her daily survival kit includes; tea, coffee, keyboard and paperbacks.
