Sindh chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presiding over a joint meeting of National Highway Authority and provincial Works and Services department today reviewed the progress of various road sector projects being executed by the NHA.
“Mr Shah urged the federal government to hand over Lyari Expressway to the provincial government so that it can be open for heavy traffic apart from carrying out its repair and maintenance.
Construction of Interchange at M9: The Sindh Chief Minister said that the substantial completion of the M9 – N5 Link Road Project was achieved in July 2023, with 7.2 km out of a total 21 km of the road open for traffic with partial toll.
The remaining work, the construction of the Interchange at M9, was initially under the scope of the Sindh government. “After detailed discussions, NHA told the Sindh government that it [NHA] is bound to get any new infrastructure development inside the Right of Way (ROW) of M-9.
Subsequently, the MoU was signed at approximate cost including escalation charges and NHA charges between the Works Dept and NHA for the construction of an Interchange at M9 for Rs. 3.5 billion in February 2024.
Murad Shah urged the NHA to revisit the cost of the M9 interchange as the provincial government has to bear a huge burden as the cost is exorbitantly high. At this, the NHA chairman assured the chief minister that his technical team would reconsider the construction cost.
De-federalization of Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway: Discussing the project, the CM said that the National Highway Authority (NHA) handed over the Karachi-Thatta-Hyderabad section (N-5) to the Sindh government in January 2012. In the handing over letter the NHA said that the road would not be de-federalized but the NOC being be granted to the provincial government for its development and dualization on PPP/BOT basis as NHA’s deposit work.
The CM urged the NHA to de-federalized the Karachi-Thatta – Hyderabad Section (N-5), as the Government of Sindh constructed dual carriageway at Section (N-5) from Karachi to Thatta for Rs8.2 billion under Public Private Partnership Modality and was unable to collect project revenues such as Commercial revenues, issuance of NOCs to the utility providers etc. He added that apart from toll collection, other revenues from utility providers, right of way (ROW) fees, and NOC charges from Petrol Pumps, therefore it was imperative to seek complete ownership of the road.
The chairman of NHA said that it was a policy decision and it would be discussed with ministry.