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N-5 handing over to contractors completed

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority has completed the handing over process of operation and management contract for N-5 to the Fauji Foundation, Husnain and Co, FWO and NLC, sources told Business Recorder.

The contractors are responsible for toll collection, maintenance of highway, hoardings, restaurants, petrol pumps along the road, and for the removal of encroachments. The jurisdiction of contractors would consist up to 110-ft on both sides of the dual carriageway.

Installation of weigh-in-motion scales on N-5 and highway police on the pattern of motorway police is being considered by the NHA. These are likely to be brought after enforcing of the Road Safety Ordinance.

All these steps, sources said, had been taken to improve the quality of motoring on highways by converting them into mini-motorways. The dualisation of N-5 is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The Fauji Foundation would collect toll for the O and M contract from Karachi-Hyderabad portion (Super Highway) of the G.T Road.

However, sources rejected the claims of the Sindh government over Super Highway by saying that it was collecting Rs 80 million as revenue from the road but maintenance of the road was being done by the NHA. It is a federal road and government has the right to award its contract to whom ever it likes.

Husnain and Co has been given the contract for Hyderabad to Sukkur portion of N-5. Sources said that this contract was awarded to a private contractor to begin competition between public and private sector.

The Frontier Works Organisation is handling the portion between Sukkur and Lahore, while the National Logistic Cell is already smoothly operating on the Lahore to Torkham portion.