ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday inaugurated the signal-free corridor of Islamabad highway which will cost about Rs21.81 billion.
Under the project, the 24-kilometer Expressway from Zero Point to GT Road Rawat will be converted into a signal free corridor besides addition of lanes to ease traffic congestion.
In the first phase which was launched today, four-kilometer portion from Zero Point to Faizabad would be completed at a cost of Rs1.6 billion. In addition, an overhead bridge would also be constructed at Shakarparian Chowk to give signal-free access to travellers.
In his address at the inauguration ceremony, the prime minister said that the international standard infrastructure is being developed to put Pakistan on fast track development.
The prime minister said that apart from construction of highways, motorways and metro bus projects, the government has also initiated a number of projects to overcome the electricity shortage.
Nawaz Sharif said that 3,600 megawatts electricity would be generated through the liquefied natural gas (LNG) for which the government has allocated billions of rupees in the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
Sharif said that he has directed the minister for petroleum to implement plans for generation of 1,000 MW of electricity through gas by 2016 so that people get further relief in load-shedding in next summer.
The premier said that 1,400 MW electricity would be added from Tarbela-IV project which is to be completed by 2017. He said that Neelum Jhelum would also provide 960 MW electricity.
In addition, he expressed the confidence that the electricity crisis would be overcome by 2017.
