Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while performing the foundation-laying ceremony for the 306 km Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), remarked that linking the underprivileged areas will pave the way for the country's economic and social growth in addition to generating new business prospects. The M-6 segment would connect the country's major cities and complete the North-South Motorway Corridor, popularly known as the Karachi-Peshawar Motorway.

The M-6 would be finished in 30 months, costing Rs 307 billion. The prime minister stressed that the M-6 motorway must meet the same quality and standards as the rest of the nation's motorway network. He gave the necessary authorities the go-ahead to finish the public-private project before the deadline. In order to link to the crucial Gwadar port and integrate the province into the national economy, he also advocated for bettering the road connection from Balochistan to the upcountry.

The M-6 motorway will pass through the districts of Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Matiari, Benazirabad, Nowshero Feroze, Khairpur, and Sukkur. Service stations and rest areas will be placed every 50 kilometres on both sides of the route. The six-lane highway will have 15 interchanges, a sizable bridge across the Sindh River, 82 canal crossings, 19 underpass bridges, six flyovers, and 10 service areas. About 25,000 employment will be generated by the project.

Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah said construction of M-6 was postponed for more than three years. He underlined that 25,000 project-related employment must go to locals. He called the government's attention to the necessity of dewatering flood-affected communities.

Federal minister for water resources Syed Khurshid Shah said that the M-6 motorway will be a turning point in boosting the nation's economy by encouraging intra-national trade. Capt. (ret.) Khurram Agha, Federal Secretary for Communications, stated that just Rs 9.5 billion will be provided by the government, and the construction would be done on a public-private basis.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk