Senate panel questions delays in M-6 motorway and major road projects

The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has sought explanations from government authorities over delays in several major road and railway schemes, including the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway National Highway projects and the ML-1 railway upgrade.

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has sought explanations from government authorities over delays in several major road and railway schemes, including the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway National Highway projects and the ML-1 railway upgrade.

The committee held its 18th meeting at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani. Members reviewed the progress of projects included in the current Public Sector Development Programme and followed up on recommendations made during earlier meetings.

The Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway commonly known as the M-6 remained one of the key issues discussed during the meeting. Officials told senators that the motorway had been divided into five sections and that legal proceedings had affected progress on the project.

According to the briefing, construction activity is expected to begin from the Sukkur side while approval for the Hyderabad portion under the public-private partnership model is still awaited.

Senators expressed dissatisfaction over the continued delays and asked officials to provide a clear implementation schedule. The committee decided that the Chairman of the National Highway Authority and the relevant minister should attend a future meeting to explain the status of the M-6 outstanding approvals and the reasons for the slow progress.

The committee also examined several National Highway schemes in Sindh. Officials said construction on the Moro-Ranipur portion of N-5 was underway and was targeted for completion by June 2027. The scheme is being financed through a flood emergency loan supported by the Asian Development Bank.

Progress on other sections remained limited. Work on the Hala-Moro section of N-5, which is being undertaken with Chinese grant assistance, had yet to commence. The Ranipur-Sukkur section planned under the widening and improvement of priority portions of N-5 and supported by financing from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank was also awaiting the start of construction with land acquisition still underway.

Committee members questioned the condition and quality of road infrastructure and sought more detailed evidence regarding the progress of the schemes. Further discussion was deferred with officials directed to provide section-wise briefings accompanied by photographs so that the committee could assess the actual condition of the roads.

The committee also directed that relevant provincial officials participate in future meetings when matters concerning provincial projects are taken up.

Members sought updates on the Dera Murad Jamali Bypass on N-25 and the Mian Channu-Kamalia Road. The committee was informed that the latter project was not part of the current Public Sector Development Programme. Senators also requested province- and region-wise information about development allocations to assess the distribution of available funds.

The proposed ML-1 railway upgradation project was also reviewed. Officials from the Railways Division briefed the committee on the project’s financing arrangements and said funding was expected from the Asian Development Bank.

The committee sought further details about the ML-1 implementation schedule including the expected date for the start of work and asked the relevant authorities to provide a clearer picture of the project’s financing and execution timeline.