By Minahil Makhdoom
ISLAMABAD: Chairman China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa has said the work on the Eastbay Expressway Gwadar project is in final stage and it would be completed by October this year
In a tweet, he said the 14.5 kilometers offshore expressway has already been completed while the remaining 4.5 KM onshore road is under construction and 92 percent of work has been completed.
Chairman CPEC Authority said the Expressway will connect the port with the second phase of the Free Trade Zone which will facilitate the business climate of the zone and the port alike.
Last week, Mr. Bajwa said the development of roads in South Balochistan was key priority of the government to improve connectivity of Gwadar with North.
In a tweet, he said about 60 percent construction work of Basima-Khuzdar road had been completed while construction of Hoshab Awaran road had also been started.
“The prime minister’s vision of uplifting remote areas especially South Balochistan is being realized,” he added.
The 146 kilometers Hoshab-Awaran project is an integral part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Central Alignment which connects Gwadar Port with the Sindh.
The project is expected to be completed in three years at an estimated cost of Rs20 billion.
Similarly the Basima-Khuzdar road (N-30) is 106 km long having a cost of Rs11.749 billion. This project is expected to be completed by end of current year.
With respect to the completed road projects under CPEC, an official in CPEC authority told APP that the 449 km Quetta to Hoshab road (N-85) has been completed and is operational while the 235 KM long Surab-Quetta (N-25) road has also been completed and is operational.
Similarly the official added that the 193 km Gwadar-Hoshab (M-8) road and 250 km Ratodero–Khuzdar (M-8) road is also operational.
