TAHIR AMIN

ISLAMABAD: The 59-kilometre E-35, also known as Hazara Motorway will be opened for traffic by the end of current month. The project is an important part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

A senior official of National Highway Authority (NHA) told Business Recorder that the remaining 12-km under-construction section of Hazara Motorway from Shah Maqsood Interchange to Havelian Interchange will be opened for traffic by end-December.

After completion of this portion, the Motorway will become fully operational and provide a modern six-lane road facility to the people of Havelian, Abbottabad, Mansehra and adjoining areas.

The 47-km section of the Hassanabdal-Havelian Motorway from Burhan to Shah Maqsood Interchange was opened for traffic in December last year.

The NHA had revised the PC-1 of Hassanabdal-Havelian Motorway (E-35) upward from Rs 30.97 billion to Rs 34.37 billion after converting it to six lanes.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had performed the groundbreaking of 59-kilometre Expressway on November 29, 2014 and it was scheduled to be completed by December 2017.

The 59-kilometre 6-lane fenced motorway will reduce the drive time from Islamabad to Havelian to just 30 minutes in addition to providing road to the Havelian Dry Port project. The project anticipates hundreds of thousands of employment opportunities, possibilities of new business ideas and socio-economic uplift of the whole region. The project was divided into three packages aimed at increasing the pace of work. The package-1 (Burhan-Jarikas 20.3-km) was awarded to M/S China Gezhouba Group Company and Ghulam Rasool Company as joint venture with bid amount of Rs 7.376 billion. The package-2 (Jarikas-Serai Saleh, 19.2-km) was awarded to M/S China Gezhouba Group Company and AM Associates on JV with bid amount of Rs 6.775 billion. The both packages were scheduled to be completed by March 2017. The third package (Serai Slaeh-Havelian 20.02-km) was awarded to M/S Limak-ZKB (JV) with bid amount of Rs 8.188 billion and this package was scheduled to be completed by December 2017.

The project is being completed through an Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan (90 percent of total cost) and 10 percent by the government of Pakistan.

Burhan Interchange on Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1) is Hazara Motorway’s start point, whereas it has three sections; from Hasanabdal to Jarikas, from Jarikas to Serai Saleh; and from Serai Saleh to Havelian, respectively. The expressway has 44 flyovers and bridges, 29 underpasses and 163 box culverts.