By Minahil
Makhdoom
ISLAMABAD: KP government has appointed collectors to acquire land for a 4-lane controlled-access motorway to extend the nearly-completed M-14 Motorway to Zhob city of Balochistan, a KP legislator told media.
KP government appointed the collectors last week, a notification said.
According to Faisal Amin Gandapur, a member of KP Assembly from the ruling PTI, there was a missing link in the CPEC western route from Yarik area in D.I. Khan district to Zhob district in Balochistan. The new motorway will complete the controlled-access route from Islamabad to Zhob, which further leads to Karachi and Gwadar. M-14 extension project will reduce 60 to 65 kilometers’ distance between Yarik and Zhob. “Presently, the federal government is upgrading N-50 Highway as part of the CPEC western alignment, but this road is lengthy and has no control-access design, so not fit to serve as the main CPEC corridor,” he said.
According to the existing route, vehicles coming from the M-14 will first ply on N-55 (Indus Highway) up to D.I. Khan city to get on N-50 (Dera-Zhob) highway. However, the new motorway will directly connect Zhob-bound traffic to M-14. “It will not only save time and miles, but will also make travel from Islamabad to Zhob hassle free,” Gandapur said adding the collectors appointed by the government have started working on their assignment.
As per the notification, one collector will be responsible for acquiring land in Lakki tehsil of Lakki Marwat district while 3 collectors have been appointed for Kulachi, Daraban and FR Darazinda areas of D.I. Khan district.
