Federal Minister for Communications Mr Abdul Aleem Khan has reiterated his commitment to realize roads building schemes with quality construction as per scheduled time frame. He recalled that the old alignment of National Highway (N-5) between Thehri and Ranipur passes through cities of Khairpur, Kot Diji and Kumb in Sindh province. During dualization of N-5, this road segment was realigned to bypass Khairpur city and reduce the distance between Thehri and Ranipur. Since then, he said, National Highway Authority has been regularly maintaining the new alignment, whereas the old alignment is also being maintained as per requirement through Routine Maintenance Contracts. Mr. Abdul Aleem Khan was responding to a call attention notice in National Assembly moved by MNAs Ms.Nafisa Shah, Ms. Naz Baloch and Ms. Mahtab Akbar Rashdi regarding repair and maintenance of flood affected road between Thehri and Ranipur. Mr. Abdul Aleem Khan said, in order to improve the road condition and reduce the inconvenience to the travellers on old N-5 section, the NHA approved two maintenance schemes for functional overlay on 52 km length from Thehri to Ranipur with allocation of Rs. 498 Million in Annual Maintenance Plan 2023-24. Continuing the Federal Minister said, presently these maintenance schemes are under procurement and their financial bids were opened on April 24, 2024, and that the work will commence on completion of procurement process and contractual formalities in 2-3 weeks time period. The execution of work will be completed by December 2024. Mr. Abdul Aleem Khan further informed that Ministry of Communications and National Highway Authority are attaching priority to earlier realization of Sukkur - Hyderabad motorway and a tunnel at Babusar Top on Rawalpindi-Gilgit Road in the north. The tunnel will facilitate traveling in this difficult mountainous terrain of the country. The Federal Minister assured to personally monitor the pace of work on roads construction projects across the country.
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