Govt set to approve IB offices along CPEC routes

Islamabad

The government is all set to approve the construction of Intelligence Bureau (IB) offices along the routes of $46 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with estimated cost of Rs482.883 million.

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) is scheduled met Friday under chairmanship of Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal in which the forum is going to consider approval for construction of a conference room and office at the Prime Minister Secretariat, Islamabad with estimated cost of Rs298.203 million.

The CDWP will consider approval for construction of two important road networks of western route of CPEC including dualisation and improvement of existing N-50 from Yarak – Sagu – Zhob including Zhob bypass and rehabilitation of highway between Thakot – Raikot.

According to working paper of dualisation & Improvement of Existing N-50 from Yarak – Sagu – Zhob including Zhob bypass located in Balochistan & Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the project envisages construction of 210 km 4-lane highway starting from Yarik on N-55 to Zhob on N-50 via Sagu, Daraban, Mughal Kot, Manikhuwa as part of western route of CPEC. 

The 50-km length from Yarak to Sagu will be constructed on new alignment as controlled access highway. Beyond Sagu up to Zhob, existing N-50 will be dualised including Darazinda & Zhob bypass with improvement of existing 2-lane highway where required. 

The scope of work also includes land acquisition, construction of one flyover, 500 culverts, 16 bridges, one clover leaf interchange at DI Khan – Tank road for traversing between new alignment & existing road, construction of tunnels, underpasses, retaining walls, drainage & erosion works along with allied facilities. 100 m wide Right of Way (ROW) will be acquired for virgin alignment and 30 – 50 m ROW along existing N-50.

The prime minister has directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) to conduct survey of various options for the western route of China – Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Several alternative proposals were prepared and discussed with their merits and demerits and the route from Brahama Bahatar on M-1 to Dera Ismail Khan near Yarak on N-55 was selected having length of 285 km. Afterwards start point was shifted to Hakla on M-1 towards Islamabad due to involvement of SPD terrain of Kala – Chitta mountain.

The prime minister further directed dualisation of the existing N-50 from Dera Ismail Khan to Zhob. 

In this connection, hectic efforts were made in the selection of realignment due to very difficult terrain involved at Danasar (over-hanged reach). Finally, it was decided that existing alignment shall be followed with improvement in alignment at few places because of S-bends, however from Yarak to Sagu a straight alignment has been followed bypassing Dera Ismail Khan saving about 25 km in length. 

This virgin alignment starts from Yarak (N-55) and crosses through Dera Ismail Khan – Tank Road and Dera Ismail Khan – Kulachi Road and terminates at Sagu. This road may further proceed towards Zhob (dualization from Sagu to Darazinda, bypassing Darazinda up to Sheikh Mela, than dualising up to Mughal Kot, three tunnels provided in Danasar area and realignment as two-lane on adjacent mountain, beyond Danasar it is dualised up to Zhob and providing 04-lane Zhob bypass. Existing road shall also be rehabilitated and improved where required.

For rehabilitation NHA Highway KKH (N-35) between Thakot – Raikot (Km 191 – Km 471, remaining 136.4 Km damaged length), damaged due to unprecedented monsoon rains & flash floods 2010, the project envisages rehabilitation of 136.4 Km remaining portion of existing KKH from Km 191 – Km. 471, from 6.1 m to 7.3 m pavement width with 2m shoulders on either side between Thakot and Raikot, damaged due to unprecedented monsoon rains & flash floods 2010. 

The scope of work also includes construction of breast walls and retaining walls along with construction of causeway as well as culverts. Realignment of Tatta Pani slide area (10 Km) along with construction of new bridge is also included in the scope.

The national highway network in Pakistan was adversely damaged due to unprecedented monsoon rains and flash floods 2010. 

The total length of KKH (N-35) effected was 280 Km i.e. from Km 191 to Km 471, however, only 143.6 km were considered under the Chinese Grant Project Phase –I. The remaining portion of KKH i.e. 136.4 Km is still badly damaged and is proposed to be rehabilitated under the instant project.