Engineering Post Report
Time tested all weather friends Pakistan and China had agreed in 2013-14 to a long -term bilateral trade and economic corridor programme which has since come to be known as the great game changer and become household word China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) has been part of the planning and appraisal processes of CPEC. For the early harvest/prioritized phase, following two projects, which are now at different stages of implementation were agreed between the two sides:
a.Construction of East Bay Expressway
b.Pak-China Technical & Vocational Institute
Construction of East Bay Expressway
The 19 kilometers 6 land East Bay Expressway , a flagship project of CPEC, will connect Gwadar Port and its Free Zone with M-8 and Makran Coastal Highway. 14.7 km of the road is onshore while 4.3 km will be offshore. It will be a limited access high speed road meant for for the use of heavy traffic fulfilling the cargo needs of the port.
With about 90 per cent of the work already complete, the Expressway is expected to be fully operational by FY 2022.
Pak-China Technical & Vocational Institute
The projectaims to improve the technical skills of the local population to fulfill the needs of Port Operations, Gwadar Port Free Zone, Export Processing Zone and other industrial and allied activities like tourism, hotel industry, hospitality, management etc.
Implementation agreement of the project was signed on March 29, 2019 during Gwadar Expo 2019 with the Prime Minister of Pakistan witnessing the signing ceremony. The detailed design was reviewed and approved in June 2019 and its construction work started in December 2019.
Rapid work is ongoing with physical progress at more than 84 per cent and completion is expected by December 2021.
Development & Construction of Port Allied Structures (GPA Business Complex).
Construction of commercial structures on 69 acres of land have since been completed for Gwadar Port related businesses like Bank Branches, Stevedores, Agency Offices, Cargo Storage Sheds, Marine Repair Workshop etc. to facilitate investors as well as for revenue generation. Outsourcing of this area is in progress and some of the facilities have already been rented out.
According to the information available from Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), at least seven projects are in progress under the Public Sector Development Programme (PDSP) of the Federal Government and expected to be completed in different dates.
The ongoing PSDP projects are Feasibility Study Construction of Breakwaters cost Rs 191.200 million; Acquisition of Mobile Cranes & Fork Lifters for Gwadar Port Rs 99.728 million; Equipment for Safety of Navigation Rs 11.970 million; Supply, Installation and Commissioning of Floating Jetty at Gwadar Port Rs 40.350 million; Acquisition of Marine Services Vessel for Gwadar Port Rs 319.300 million; Feasibility Study of Capital Dredging of Berthing Areas & channel for Additional Terminals Rs 148.000 million, and: Up gradation of Berthing Facilities for Boats at Gwadar Mini Port Rs 134.775.
