Engineering Post Report
Realizing the importance of modern transport infrastructure, great game changer China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) offers Pakistan a unique opportunity to integrate with the regional markets.
In the transport infrastructure sector, remarkable progress has been achieved so far,
On the Eastern Alignment (roadway projects located in Sindh and Punjab provinces) the ground breaking of Sukkur-Hyderabad (M-6) section of the motorway was done in December 2022. On the Western Alignment (projects located in Northwestern Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan), the ground breaking of Dera Ismail Khan- Sagu section of N-50 was also done during the same period.
Moreover, the construction work on the 298 km Zhob to Kuchlak road was in progress. Also, other projects such as Khuzdar-Basima (110 km), Nokundi-Mashkhel (103 km), and Hoshab -Awaran M8 (146 km) were under implementation and were likely to be completed according to the timeline. Furthermore, Sagu-Zhob project N-50 was under discussion with the Chinese side and was expected to be started soon.
Due to the construction of Dasu and Basha dams, the existing Karakoram Highway (KKH) alignment will be submerged, therefore, and Joint Technical Group was notified to conduct the feasibility for realignment of Thakot-Raikot section of the KKH which has since already been conducted and agreed by both the both sides.
Moreover, the concessional financing agreement for Pakistan Railways Main Line (ML-1) mega project was expected to be finalized soon and subsequently, arrangements will be made for its groundbreaking..
IN addition to this, the framework agreement of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) has also been shared with the Chinese side for taking up the project under CPEC framework..
Lastly, the feasibility studies of the following new projects have been proposed for consideration under the CPEC framework in the Joint Working Group meeting of transport infrastructure : Mirpur-Muzaffarabad-Mansehra (MMM),M-9 Motorway and Babusar Tunnel.
