LAHORE, Mar 31 (APP): National Highway Authority (NHA)
Member Central Zone Abdul Samad Khan has said that the country is
going to join group of developed nations with completion of
road network of the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC).
He said this while addressing the NHA stakeholders
consultation meeting on annual maintenance plan 2015-16 held
at a local hotel on Thursday. GM RAMD Akram Saqlain,
DIG Motorway Central Mirza Farhan Baig, Dr Hafiz Ahmed Buksh
Member Central Zone, Col Zulfiqar Janjua GM Punjab, Mujtaba
Memon, Jamal Nasir, Habib-ur-Rehman and other NHA officials
were also present.
Abdul Samad said Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz
Sharif would lay foundation stone of Lahore-Karachi Motorway
section Sukker to Multan during this month while the NHA would
upgrade all the important roads of the country besides
extending the National Trade Corridor.
He said the NHA was committed to provide extended safe
road network as per vision of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz
Sharif as process of economic growth could not be sustained
without making efforts not only to expand the present road
facilities but also to modernize this network to keep up with
growing needs of the transport.
He said the consultation conference would help the NHA to
make new legislation and proper implementation of rule already
exist, he added there was a need to eliminate all hazards of
transportation, including overloading and overspeed, so the
country could rise as new economy through road infrastructure
of international standard.
The National Highway Authority (NHA) under the Federal
Ministry of Communications is responsible for 7,000kms long
National Highway Network and Motorway systems, which carries
75 to 80 percent of the total commercial traffic, he added.
He said the provincial Highway departments were
responsible for about 80,000Km provincial road networks. The
remaining network comprises of municipal and district roads.
The NHA’s main artery is the 1760-km long N-5 highway, which
carries over 55 percent of the country’s Inter-City traffic.
He said the NHA secured delivery of efficient, reliable,
safe and environment friendly National Highway network with
the view to improve quality of life in Pakistan.
Earlier, members and officials of NHA in their separate
briefings aimed to provide a safe road network through
rehabilitation and maintenance work and said that a huge
amount had been allocated for maintenance, rehabilitation and
modernization of road network.