Work on $2bn motorway projects to start this year: minister

Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan on Monday announced that construction of $2 billion Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6) and Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) will start this year. The federal minister announced this while chairing a meeting of the National Highway Authority (NHA). The M-6 project, an integral part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has already been delayed by six years. In a recent meeting, a Senate panel had ordered the NHA to give top priority to much-awaited M-6 project. The Senate Standing Committee on Planning and Development reviewed M-6 and directed the NHA to halt work on all other road projects and immediately start construction of M-6 project. On the occasion, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal had assured the committee members of implementing all decisions of the panel and agreed that the first priority would be given to M-6 project.