ISLAMABAD: National Highway Authority (NHA), in line with the present government’s policy, has actively involved private sector in the construction process of new highways and motorways in the country.
An NHA official told APP on Thursday that the authority had established a private sector cell for providing one-window facility for the projects.
He said that the NHA has standardized its documents; pre-qualification criterion, request for proposals, including evaluation criteria and a concession agreement.
The NHA official said the construction work on Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) is being done on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.
He said recarpeting and renovation of Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2) is being done by Frontier Works Organization (FWO) in accordance with international standards on BOT basis.
He said private sector investment would also be a major part of the financing for Karachi-Lahore Motorway, which would form part of China-Pak Economic Corridor.
He said that private sector investment in road infrastructures has witnessed a tremendous response and it will pave the way for implementing more projects at the national level.
Shahdara Flyover (N-5), a six-lane elevated flyover at Shahdara in Lahore with 25-year concession period, Lahore-Nankana Sahib Expressway and connecting road network for the New Benazir Bhutto International Airport are being built on BOT basis, he added. He said the Lakpass Tunnel was the first major NHA project undertaken on BOT basis in Balochistan, which was operation for the last five years.
Earlier, 10 service areas were built on the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway on BOT basis for a 15-year concession period.
