National Highway Authority development projects and Pakistan-China Economic Corridor will lay a sound foundation for road infrastructure in the country: Shahid Ashraf Tarar

Islamabad, May 25, 2015 (PPI-OT): National Highway Authority’s Chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarar has said that NHA development projects and Pak-China Economic Corridor will lay a sound foundation for road infrastructure in the country and a new era of communications facilities in the country will usher in.

The Chairman said that all arrangements have been made to launch projects worth 90 billion with the aid of the private sector and in this connection road safety, travel facilities and service areas have been handed over to the private sector on BOT basis. He expressed these view while presiding over the 249th Executive Board Meeting of NHA here today.

The meeting was also attended by all Members NHA, IG Motorway Police Muhammad Saleem Bhatti, Joint Secretary Ministry of Finance Waqar Ahmad, Technical Chief Planning Commission Munir Ahmad Anjum, Joint Secretary Ministry of Communications Rizwan Malik, Azhar Masood of NESPAK, Amna Imran Khan Chief Executive NTC and other high officials.

PC-Is of NHA’s eleven projects were put up for approval at the meeting and a number of revised PC-Is were also put up for approval including Peshawar-Kabul Motorway, Khuzdar-Shahdadkot Motorway, in the Punjab DG Khan, rehabilitation of washed away Whodar Nala, whereas various projects under the Annual Maintenance Plan in Baluchistan province were also accorded approval. Five other projects of national importance were also accorded approval in the meeting.

It was informed that a traffic awareness program in collaboration with the Motorway Police is also being launched so that traffic accidents on the country’s road can be minimized. The Executive Board also recommended measures to make awarding of maintenance contracts more transparent. While taking the participants into confidence, the Chairman said that NHA’s policy of PPP will further make itself reliant and will improve the road network in the country and this self reliance will help NHA meet the future challenges, he added.

Earlier, the Board also accorded approval to a 50 % increase in the amount honorarium of the Board Members and also recommended making the GMs attending the Board Meeting entitled for the honorarium. The Board welcomed NHA’s policy of self reliance and expressed the hope that this will bring good governance and transparency in NHAs organizational and administrative matters. The Board Meeting was told that a comprehensive advertising policy with respect to putting billboards and advertising signboards to help increase NHA’s revenue.

For more information, contact:
Muhammad Ali Gardezi
Chairman
National Highway Authority (NHA)
NHA HQ, 27, Mauve Area, G-9/1,
Islamabad.
Tel: +9260417
Fax: +9260404
chairman@nha.gov.pk