ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday directed that ongoing work on the new Islamabad International Airport should be expedited so as to ensure its inauguration by the mid of April.
The prime minister was chairing a briefing on various ongoing connectivity and road infrastructure projects at the Prime Minister Office.
Progress into completion and operationalisation of new Islamabad International Airport was also reviewed during the meeting, PM office media wing said in a press release.
The aviation secretary briefed the prime minister about the progress of the ongoing work on the new Islamabad International Airport.
It was informed that physical work on infrastructure and airport-related allied facilities had been completed, while the integration process was underway.
Minister for Interior and Planning Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Communications Hafiz Abdul Karim, Minister of State for Communications Junaid Anwaar Chaudhry, concerned federal secretaries, National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman Jawad Anwaar and senior officers attended the meeting.
NHA Chairman Jawad Anwaar, while briefing the meeting on the progress of Airport Metro Bus Project, said that infrastructure work would be completed by May 15.
He also briefed about the progress of various landmark road projects spread all across the country, which either had been completed or were ready for ground-breaking within the next few weeks.
The projects ready for inauguration/ground-breaking include the construction of Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road, DG Khan Northern Bypass, Karachi-Hyderabad (M-9), Syed Wala Bridge, Jalal Pur-Pirwala-Uch Sharif Road, LSM Link via Narang Mandi to Narowal, Sialkot-Pasrur Road , Chitral-Gram Chashma Road, Kallar–Sir Suba Shah-Dhan Gali Road, Lahore-Abdul Hakeem (M-3), Lahore Eastern Bypass (LEBP), Sher Shah Suri Road from Begum Kot to Sheikhupura–Muridke Road, overhead bridge at Imamia Colony Railway Crossing, Nishtar Ghat Bridge (Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Bridge), Khuzdar-Shahdadkot (M-8), Shah Maqsood Interchange-Muslim Abad Interchange (Hazara Motorway) and two interchanges near Mansehra on Havelian–Thakot CPEC project which would be inaugurated during the month of May.
Expressing satisfaction over the addition of an extensive network of motorways, expressways and national highways to the existing road infrastructure, the prime minister observed that addition of a new road network would have a huge impact on transforming the lives of the people by offering better connectivity and greater economic opportunities.
The NHA chairman requested PM Abbasi for his time to inaugurate/perform ground-breaking ceremonies of the projects.
The meeting was also briefed on various road infrastructure projects being built in Balochistan. PM Abbasi also approved the construction of 110-km long Khuzdar-Basima (N-30) road project through PSDP.
The NHA chairman said that since 2013, 28 major connectivity projects involving road infrastructure of 2,520 km had been completed at a cost of Rs 235.69 billion.
The prime minister appreciated NHA and its team for the progress made so far and said that efforts must continue to ensure early completion of the ongoing projects.
Source: APP
