Alignment of 285-km portion of CPEC proposed

ISLAMABAD: Alignment of a critical 285-kilometre long portion of the western route of the historic China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC), which starts from Hakla near Tarnol on M-1 (Motorway) and culminates in Yarak, Dera Ismail Khan, has been proposed.

This part of the western corridor is primed to change the fate of some most backward areas. Importantly, it will also prove to be a bonanza for the heartland of the home constituency of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman in Dera Ismail Khan while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government had kicked up an unnecessary dust over the western route for some time.

Official documents available with The News show that of  the five packages in which this 285-kilometre piece has been divided, the alignment of one stretch--Rahmani Khel-Rokhri/Mianwali of 55-kilometre long --has not yet been finalised. Same is the case with another tract of 60 kilometers of Pindi Gheb-Hakla (M-I) package, but for its finalization a no-objection certificate is required from a key institution due to the location of some sites in the surrounding.

After beginning from Hakla, around five kilometers from the Tarnol level crossing on the Grand Trunk Road, this segment of the western route will immediately go on the left side of N-80 (Tarnol-Fateh Jang) near Qutbal, some eight kilometers from Tarnol, and run parallel to it to some extent.

The western route, coming from Balochistan on which work has already begun, and its Quetta-Zhob segment was inaugurated by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif some months back, will meet this portion at Dera Ismail Khan. In Balochistan, it begins from Gwadar and passes near Hoshab, Panjgar, Nag, Besima, Surab, Kalat, Mastung, Quetta, Pishin, Qila Saifullah and Zhob to connect with the western route in Dera Ismail Khan.

Happily, a nefarious controversy on the alignment of the western corridor stood nailed sometime back and those who were whipping up it and conspiring against the CPEC now sit with sullen faces, repenting over their scheming.

According to the official documents, a briefing was given at the highest level on the alignment of the Hakla-Dera Ismail Khan part of the western route on March 7. It is evident from these papers that this highway will run through the districts of Dera Ismail Khan, Mianwali and Attock. It will also pass through Dera Ismail Khan, Pahar Pur, Essa Khel, Mianwali, Jhand, Pindi Gheb and Fateh Jang tehsils.

This sector will cost Rs142.982 billion and will have four lanes to complete in 2018. Of the total cost, an amount of Rs129.782 billion will be utilised on the civil works while Rs13.2 billion on the cost of land to be acquired. The documents said that the project will be completed in 24 months after commencement.

Three of the five packages cover a distance of 55 kilometres each while the remaining two will be 60 kilometres each. In the ongoing 2015-16 financial year, an amount of Rs10 billion will be spent on this project with half of the money having been demanded in the third quarter; in the 2016-2017 fiscal yer an amount of Rs69.87 billion will be earmarked for it, and in 2017-2018, a sum of Rs63.112 billion will be allocated.

The Package-I running between Yarak (Dera Ismail Khan) and Rehmani Khel is ready for launch of physical work. The designs of the other sections are being prepared.

The Package-II will cover the area between Rehmani Khel and Rokhri/Mianwali while the Package-III will be spread over Rokhri and Sawan. The Package-IV runs between Swan and Pindi Gheb (Attock district) and the Package-V will start from Pindi Gheb and end at Hakla.

This part of the western corridor will also pass through Fatehjang, Khunda, Kot Fateh Khan, Jhand and between Tarap and Mukhad. Of these areas, Jhand, Pindi Gheb, Makhad, Talagang and Esakhel are most backward regions, which will be hugely transformed.

Documents say this portion has 120 kilometres of flat/rolling area while hilly area comprises 100 kilometres. It has 100 metres right of way. The total carriage width is 22.6 metres; lane width is 3.65 metres each; travel lane width is 14.6 metres; inner shoulder is one meter and outer shoulder is three metres.

Officials describe the project as a great initiative and say traveling distance of Mianwali-Makhad-Dera Ismail Khan will be reduced to one third. “Investors are rushing to the area to buy land like gold rush of America westward movement in 1800s,” said an official.

There had been opposition at certain senior official levels to taking the route to Dera Ismail Khan, but Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif did not pay any heed to such arguments saying that he has made a commitment with Fazlur Rehman to the effect that he would fulfill in any case.

When the prime minister insisted, the sponsor agency had no option but to obey his orders. The beneficiary is the area of the JUI-F chief while the KP government had been needlessly crying hoarse over the alignment of the western corridor without paying any serious thought to its route or doing any homework. Fazlur Rehman had also asserted before Nawaz Sharif that the western route should have six lanes, but he was told that in the first instance four lanes would be built which could be expanded as per his demand at a later stage.