ISLAMABAD: The Lahore-Multan motorway will be open for public in April next year, announced Federal Minister for Communications Hafiz Abdul Karim on Thursday.
The minster, while visiting the motorway to review the pace and standard of work, said, “We are bringing a special policy under which the contractors will be fined if they fail to complete their projects in-time.”
The minister remarked that the progress of the Lahore- Multan motorway project was satisfactory and will be inaugurated in first week of April, which is 4 month earlier than its completion time of August 2018.
Meanwhile, the secretary said that the travelling distance from Lahore to Multan was five hours which will be reduced to three hours after the motorway will be completed.
The secretary also told fast paced work is also in progress at the Lahore-Sialkot motorway and this would also be completed by August 2018, and for the benefit of the public the eastern bypass from Kalasha Kaku will also be opened well before the completion of motorway.
The secretary said that presently total 13 motorway projects are underway out of which, three already have been completed, whereas 9 are in different phases of construction. The Karachi, Hazara and Hyderabad motorways have been completed and others are under construction which would be open for general public in 2018.
During the visit NHA Chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarar also briefed the minister about the completion of Khanewal-Multan motorway section. He said that Gojra, Shorkot and Shorkot- Khaniwal section are under-construction.
Other senior officials of the ministry of communication also accompanied the minister during his visit, including Secretary for Communications Mohammad Sadeeq Memon.
