NHA arranges stakeholders’ consultation

Islamabad : In order to ensure better planning of Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway project and attract private investment in this scheme National Highway Authority (NHA) arranged a Stakeholders’ Consultation with the cooperation of Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) at NHA Headquarters here where in professionals hailing from construction industry, contractors and financers were invited at large, says a press release.

Commercial Attaché of Saudi Arabia based in Islamabad, representatives of Asian Development Bank and World Bank Group also participated the session through via video link.

In his opening remarks, welcoming the visiting guests and participants Chairman National Highway Authority Captain (r) Sikander Qayyum said, the main purpose of inviting the best professionals in their respective field is to invite fresh ideas regarding procurement of only missing motorway link i-e-Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway to complete the North-South Economic Corridor. Chairman National Highway Authority Captain (r) Sikander Qayyum said, NHA is endeavoring hard for earlier start of construction activity on this mega project. Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan also desires provision of strong infrastructure for rapid socio-economic development in the country. To this effect, he said, the role of motorways and national highways is an accepted one. He further said, NHA is obtaining cooperation of the private sector in motorways and highways building schemes with the view to reduce financial load on national exchequer. He said, Public Private Partnership (PPP) has been prevalent nowadays in developing as well as developed nations of the world. Creation of the private sector’s interest in infrastructure projects for better service delivery is the tool being used successfully.

NHA chairman also recalled countrywide motorways and national highways projects being undertaken under the gigantic China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) programe. NHA is committed to put the country on the track towards socio-economic development.

The length of proposed Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway will be 306 km, 14 interchanges, one major bridge on River Indus, 6 flyovers, 10 Service Areas and 12 Rest Areas will also be built on this motorway. The project is planned to be completed in 30 months at construction cost of approximately Rs175 billion with Intelligent Transport System (ITS)

CEO of the Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) Malik Ahmad Khan expressed deep sense of gratitude to the participants for expressing interest in the consultative session. He said, deliberations of today’s consultation session on every phase and aspect of the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway procurement starting from alignment, structuring and financing have been very informative and thought provoking.