Hakla-DI Khan road to be completed next year: Sheikh Aftab

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmed Friday informed the Senate that 26 percent work had been done on Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan road which was part of the western route of China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC) and would be completed by May 2019.

Responding to a question during question hour in the House, the minister said nine motorways in the country were under construction and most of them would be completed during this year.

Sheikh Aftab said with the completion of E-35, the whole area would be facilitated, adding that Hasanabdal to Shah Masood section was already opened for traffic.

To a question, the minister said eight projects were completed in Sindh province during the last five years and presently, there were four ongoing projects in the province.

Ministry of Communications has framed a comprehensive policy to plant trees on the sides of National Highways and Motorways in the country.

He said the National Highway Authority (NHA) had undertaken the project of widening and rehabilitation of existing N-­35 in Abbottabad city measuring 17 KM in three packages starting from Khotta Qabbar to Shaheena Jamil Hospital.

Sheikh Aftab said the project had been included in PSDP 2017-­18 with an allocation of Rs. 1800 million, adding the project had been discussed in CDWP meeting in 2017.

The minister said the CDWP desired and directed to submit single PC-I for acquisition of land/ building compensation and other PC-I for construction of civil works (for all three packages).

He said the NHA was in process of submission of consolidated PC-1 for land acquisition and construction of civil works for approval of CDWP/ECNEC.

To another question, Sheikh Aftab said the Bajour (Khar)-Jandola-Zhob road is a part of proposed 933 Km long FATA Highway.

He said the feasibility study was initiated on the alignment proposed by the FATA Secretariat.

The minister said the project was included in PSDP 2017-18 with an allocated amount of Rs. 250 million for conducting the feasibility study and design adding that no amount had been spent on the project so far.

He said feasibility study of the project was in process and after approval of PC-I, procurement for the project would be initiated.