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Thursday, December 16, 2004
Makran Coastal High (MCH) links Gwadar to Karachi - Reuters
"Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf opened a coastal highway on Thursday linking the main industrial city of Karachi with a deep-sea port being built with Chinese help in the country's south. Musharraf opened the 530-km (330 miles) dual carriageway linking Karachi in the south with Gawadar to the southwest, where the port is expected to be completed in two months ... Officials said the government has spent 10.5 billion rupees ($175 million) since July 2000 when work on the highway began. Another stretch of 120 km (75 miles) has yet to be made."Business Recorder covers the highway in greater detail, Makran Coastal Highway a way to uplift the remote areas. Elsewhere, Financial Times reports on Pakistan's brilliant decision to outsource the operation of Gwadar port to the private sector, Pakistan seeks investors for port. It seems like electricity to run the port will be imported from Iran, Daily Times reports. (this is a bit surprising given that our biggest power plant Hubco operates at 16% of capacity - source, Hubco annual report). As one would expect, real-estate prices in Gwadar have gone through the roof.
I can't wait to hit the MCH (named after the PCH or Pacific Coastal Highway that runs along the California coastline). Cha gaey hain!
looks like all is not well in makran !
http://www.dawn.com/2005/03/05/letted.htm#12
Makran coastal highway
The much-publicized Makran Coastal Highway, 415-kilometre-long from Agore to Gwadar, was completed by the National Highway Authority (NHA) through the Frontier Works Organization and opened by the president on Dec 16 last. Within two months of its inauguration, 277 kilometres of the road, particularly between Agore and Pasni, have been badly damaged and closed for all types of traffic.
Six kilometres of the road have been washed away with major damage to Agore Bridge. According to a press report, 45 kilometres in the Agore-Ormara section have been badly damaged and three kilometres in the Ormara-Pasni section are submerged in water.
This damage occurred during winter rainfall, with a total downpour of 80mm in Balochistan. What will be the fate of this road during the monsoon season when the downpour could be up to 300mm?
Such a colossal loss to a recently-completed prestigious road needs thorough investigation by a committee of experts, including honest engineers of repute. It needs to be probed from various angles: design, site selection and execution of work. All responsible for negligence and corruption should be given exemplary punishment.
ENGR. M. K. CHEEMA
Lahore
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