Hakla-D.I. Khan Expressway to be completed next year

The construction work on 285 kilometer long Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan Expressway is in full swing and the project would be completed by end of 2018.

National Highway Authority (NHA) spokesman Kashif Zaman told the media on Saturday the project, which is part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Western Route will cost of Rs 129 billion.

To ensure timely completion of the project, the expressway has been divided in five packages, he said adding that Phase one of the project comprises Yarik-Rehmani Khail section. The contract of this phase has been awarded to M/s NLC and up to 21 pc progress has been achieved so far. Cost of the package would be Rs 13,257 million.

He said that 65 km Phase 2 of the project which starts from Rehmani Khail and ends near Mianwali is under procurement.

The 55-kilometer Phase 3 begins from Mianwali and ends at Tarap near Injra in district Attock. The contract of this section has been awarded to M/s FWO. The section would Rs 20,629 million and about 8 per cent progress has been achieved, he added.

He said that 62-kilometer Tarap-Pindi Gheb section contract has been awarded to M/s Limak-ZKB JV. The fourth section would cost Rs 21,386 million and about Rs 17 pc progress has been achieved.

The NHA official said that Phase 5 is 63-kilometer Pindi Gheb-Hakla Interchange section and its contractor is M/s Limak-ZKB JV. The section would cost Rs 16,887 million and about 16 per cent progress has been achieved, he said.

The 285-kilometer-long motorway is being developed as part of the Western Alignment of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The expressway includes provision of 11 interchanges, 19 flyovers (6 lanes), 15 bridges (4 lane), 74 underpasses, 259 culverts, and three major bridges (6 lane); one at River Swan, one at River Indus and third at River Koram.

The expressway will have 100 meter wide right of way (ROW) to convert the four lane facility to six lanes in future. From Hakla, Fateh Jang, the highway will extend in a southwestern direction passing the towns of Pindi Gheb, Tarap, and Mianwali. The route will transverse the Sindh Sagar Doab region, and cross the Indus River near Mianwali before entering into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The motorway will continue on wards before terminating near the town of Yarik, just north of Dera Ismail Khan.