Faisalabad-Khanewal Expressway project to start soon

Islamabad: Land acquisition process for 184-kilometre Faisalabad-Khanewal Expressway (E-4) is in full swing and work on the project will start soon, a source in Ministry of Communications said.

The Project Concept-1 of the expressway has been approved and the Environment Protection Agency has also granted No Objection Certificate.

The source said adding that soon after the completion of land acquisition process, the work on the project would start.

The project being funded by Asian Development Bank and Government of Pakistan will be completed by 2012 would cost about Rs 22 billion and will form an important part of National Trade Corridor (NTC), which would help enhance trade activities in the country, he added.

'The objective of the expressway is not only to improve trade flow in the country, but also to save transit costs and time by providing a speedy, safe and reliable access controlled road system', the source added.

The E-4 project would start from near Faisalabad and after passing near Gojra, Toba Tek Singh, Kabirwala and Shorkot will terminate between Khanewal and Lodhran. It will comprise three sections - 58 km Faisalabad-Gojra section, 62 km Gojra-Shorkot Section and 64 km Shorkot-Khanewal section, the source added. He said that Faisalabad-Khanewal Expressway would be linked to Multan on the National Highway (N-5).

The Expressway would be a four-lane dual carriageway with each lane 3.65m wide, the source said adding designed speed on expressway will be 120 km per hour. Twenty-four bridges including two major bridges, 21 fly-overs, 5 Service Areas and 9 interchanges will also be constructed with the E-4.