ISLAMABAD: Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved separate projects, including construction of 21-km long dedicated Yellow Bus Rapid Transit-BRT Corridor linking Landhi to Numaish, 47.55km Peshawar-Torkham Motorway Project and interlinking of 220 kV Daharki, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Chishtian Grid Stations for improvement of power supply system in southern areas.
The decisions were taken in a meeting of the ECNEC convened here at the Cabinet Block with Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance & Revenue in the chair, Press Information Department reported.
The ECNEC approved the construction of Karachi Urban Mobility Project (Yellow Bus Rapid Transit-BRT Corridor) to be executed by the Government of Sindh at a cost of Rs 61.439 billion.
The project to be funded mainly by the World Bank would cover a distance of 21 kms (17.6 km at grade and 3.4 km) and start from Korangi Industrial Road Dawood Chowrangi Landhi, Jam Sadiq Bridge and passing through KPT Interchange FTC Interchange, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Shahrah-e-Quaideen to Kashmir Road intersection where it would integrate with Red BRT Corridor.
The project would have 28 stations having facility of 268 buses and some 300,000 passengers would benefit from the corridor every day. The ECNEC also approved with a proviso for formation of a coordination committee between the federal government and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for overview and fiscal discipline, the construction of Peshawar-Torkham Motorway Project as component-1 of Khyber Pass Economic Corridor (KPEC) at a rationalised cost of Rs 36.705 billion (US$231.10 million) with World Bank share of Rs 34.503 billion (US$217.24 million) based on preliminary design while the firmed-up cost of the project would be available after the receipt of bids on Design-Build-Operate/EPC basis for which the Planning Commission would develop guidelines/standard operating procedures as well as other innovative mechanism.
The meeting also approved component-II “Economic Development & Upift of Areas Adjoining the Motorway” for which the Framework Agreement to facilitate preparation and feasibilities through World Bank had been agreed at a total cost of Rs 8.357 billion.
The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would submit PC-1 envisaged under the component-II after the feasibility and detailed design.
The ECNEC further approved a project for Interlinking of 220 kV Daharki, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Chishtian Grid Stations for improvement of power supply system in southern areas at an updated cost of Rs 15.795 billion, including Foreign Exchange Component of Rs 9.800 billion to provide reliable and uninterrupted power to consumers.
The project would improve the reliability and uninterrupted power supply to HESCO and MEPCO areas while the interlinking of R.Y. Khan Grid Station to Daharki through 220kV transmission line would provide backup link between Multan, Guddu and Shikarpur while the proposed line from R.Y. Khan to Bahawalpur and in/out of Vehari-Chishtian 220 kV single circuit transmission line would provide additional source of supply to 220 kV Bahawalpur and Chishtian grid stations.
Among the other projects, the ECNEC approved construction of a four-lane 18.98 km long (with embankment for 6 lanes) Expressway on East Bay of Gwadar Port at a cost of Rs 17.369 billion with foreign exchange component of Rs 16.435 billion to link Gwadar Port with the Makran Coastal Highway as well as with Gwadar Free Zone and future container terminals.
The project would also have one interchange and four bridges, four pedestrian overhead bridges along with cross-drainage structures and allied works. ECNEC also accorded approval to Dasu Hydropower Project (Stage-1); Revision of Cost for Land Acquisition and Built-up Property at a total cost of Rs 510.980 billion, including Rs 36.914 billion for land cost, and directed the Planning, Development & Reform Division to issue authorisation of the revised cost of land acquisition and built up property of Dasu Hydropower Project (Stage-1) as recommended by CDWP and subsequently by ECNEC.
The ECNEC also approved Lahore Water and Wastewater Management Project-Construction of Surface Water Treatment Plant at BRDB Canal Lahore at a cost of Rs 21.045 billion with Rs foreign exchange component of Rs 19.684 billion to provide adequate quantity of safe drinking water to the target areas of Shadipura, Baghbanpura, Fatehgarh and Mustafabad in Lahore through a unified water supply network.
The project would also help maximise the efficiency of the water supply for creating self-sustaining water zones and distribution management areas.
In similar decisions, the ECNEC also granted ex-post facto approval to the development of Phase-1 of Kartarpur Sahib Corridor on EPE/Turnkey mode as well as a proposal by the Planning Commission for simplification of development funds release process, including the release of project-wise funds (Rupee component) allocated in PSDP to the ongoing approved projects of Ministries/Divisions during the first week of each quarter as per criteria of the Finance Division (20% in 1st & 2nd Quarter and 30% in 3rd and 4th Quarter) without originating demand by the PAO.