NHA to link CPEC M-14 with Pak-Afghan border

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The Government of Pakistan is looking forward to connecting Ghulam Khan, North Waziristan, with Motorway 14 (M-14) – a mega project of the western alignment route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) through a 184km long Motorway. According to the news sources on Tuesday, the National Highway Authority (NHA) on Monday released a request for proposal (RFP) of consultancy services for the Feasibility Study and Detailed Design for the Construction of the Motorway from Ghulam Khan to Esa Khel Interchange (almost 184 KM).

The project will be sponsored by the Federal Government of Pakistan through PSDP 2022-23 through Separate Head/allocation.

In this regard, Pre-Proposal Conference will be conducted on July 19, 2022, at NHA headquarters in Islamabad whereas procurement will be done by adopting the “Single Stage Two Envelops” procedure. The offers are complete in all respects according to the instructions provided in the RFP document in sealed envelopes, which should arrive on or before August 10, 2022.

Esa Khel Interchange is situated over M-14 in the Mianwali district of Punjab, which is adjacent to the Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Between Ghulam Khan and Mianwali falls Bannu district of KP. After Torkham and Chaman, Ghulam Khan is the third most essential crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has already begun helping from Gwadar Port and the country received the first shipment of bulk cargo from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in July 2020. At the Pak-Afghan border point, the Ghulam Khan crossing is the shortest route linking CPEC’s western route with Afghanistan, Central Asian States, and beyond.

Moreover, Karot Hydropower Project, the first hydropower investment mega project under CPEC invested and developed by China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG), has been put into full commercial operation earlier this month.

“In spite of COVID-19 impact, the construction progress of the project remained satisfactory, and because of such a brilliant construction, the project has started successfully delivering much needed clean and green energy to the national grid,” Acting Managing Director, Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB), Dr. Munawar Iqbal,  said.