ISLAMABAD - The new road infrastructure projects are likely to be put on the backburner in upcoming budget 2021-22 as the government is going to allocate a few billion rupees in the upcoming budget.     

According to an official document available with the Nation, the government is going to allocate only Rs6.88 billion for 10 new projects, which is considered as very low allocation for new road projects. Meanwhile, in addition to new schemes Rs5 billion are also going to be allocated for 3 packages.    

The new schemes for 2021-22 includes Construction of Bridge over River Indus at Ghazi Ghat on N-70, Construction of Dual Carriage Road from Sui to Kashmore linking Sukkur-Multan Motorway (Feasibility) (Deposit Work), Construction of Malakand Tunnel (Phase-I), Dualisation & Improvement of Existing N-50 from Yarik-Sagu-Zhob including Zhob Bypass (210km), Improvement and widening of Chitral-Booni-Mastuj-Shandur (CPEC), Improvement and Widening of N-45 (130.22 KM), Rehabilitation/Upgradation and Widening of Quetta–Dhadhar Section of N-65 (118.322km), Ring Road from Swabi Interchange

The three packages include Construction of Hoshab–Awaran–Khuzdar Section of M-8 Section, Awaran–Naal (SB) 168km, Construction of Jhal Jhao–Awaran Road (SB) and Construction of Gilgit-Shandur Road (GBP). 

New road infrastructure projects may be put on backburner

As far as the ongoing schemes are concerned, Rs.107.08 billion are earmarked to spend on 25 ongoing schemes during the financial year 2021-22.    

When contacted, a senior level officer of the NHA informed that there was a demand of about Rs200 billion from the road authority for its ongoing as well as new schemes but the government has only given a green light to the projects worth of around Rs119 billion. 

It is pertinent to mention here that contrary to the previous government, the incumbent rulers were not very enthusiastic to start new road projects. As for instance, the previous government while preparing its last budget for financial year 2018-19 had allocated Rs.301.6 billion for NHA to finance its 123 schemes including 43 ongoing and 78 new projects. 

However, the PTI government had decided to revise the budget 2018-19 and tabled a supplementary finance bill in the National Assembly, reducing the overall PSDP allocations whereas the allocation for NHA was also reduced to Rs185.197 billion.  

In revised PSDP 2018-19, the government has not only excluded a number of projects of NHA but also decreased the amount previously allocated in the budget for most of the projects. A total of 83 projects of NHA were excluded in the revised PSDP, which includes 7 ongoing and 76 new schemes.