Private sector to finance, build and operate Motorway

ISLAMABAD: The long-awaited Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M6) project is set to be handed over by the federal government to the private sector on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis.

This was decided in a meeting chaired by Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar, with Secretary Communications Jawad Rafique Malik and National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman Sikandar Qayyum briefing the attendees.

According to the decision taken, the “private party will finance construction of the project, operate it for a defined concession period and transfer it back to NHA, at no cost at the end of concession period of 25 years,” said a senior government official.

The motorway, which is worth Rs204.28 billion and will cover a distance of 300km, will start from Sukkur and pass through Khairpur, Naushehro Feroze, Nawab Shah, Matiari, Hala and Jamshoro before terminating at Hyderabad.

The M6 is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and has a time-frame of 33 months for completion.

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