ISLAMABAD: Four out of five sections of the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) will be opened from Islamabad to Charsadda by December 2006. Altaf Ahmed Chaudhry, National Highway Authority (NHA) member, said that Islamabad-Burhan and Rashakai-Charsadda sections had already been opened for traffic. Two more sections - Burhan-Swabi and the adjacent Swabi-Rashkai sections — will also be opened for traffic by December, he said..

The NHA member said that Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) was a very important project and its good construction was department”s top priority. He said the NHA would complete the project by June 2007 when the last section, Peshawar-Charsadda, would also open for traffic.

He said that one side of the Indus Bridge has already been opened for traffic, while work on the other side was in full swing and the road would open by July. About the Kabul Bridge, he said it would be completed by June this year, he said.

Up to 18 flyovers, 2 service areas, five rest areas and 556 culverts were also included in the project, he said, adding that interchanges would be constructed in Burhan, Swabi, Rashakai, Charsadda, Fatehjang, Jhang Bahtar and Chhach. He said that the 152 km long Islamabad -Peshawar Motorway (M-1) would be a six-lane motorway like Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2) and would promote inter-provincial harmony.

Altaf said that M-1 would provide faster and alternate route between Islamabad and Peshawar and cater for international traffic from Central Asia, China and Afghanistan to the ports of Pakistan. It would also help reduce transportation costs ultimately benefiting the consumers, he added. Courtesy Daily Times

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