China Seeks “Grand Inauguration” For The Largest Infrastructure Completed Under CPEC

[Shahzaz ud din]

China Seeks “Grand Inauguration” For The Largest Infrastructure Completed Under CPEC
China aims rapid progress on a multi-billion-dollar railway line and a ‘grand inauguration’ of a 392-kilometre highway.
By KINZA ZAHRA On SEP 28, 2019
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• The government of Pakistan wants to expedite the implementation of CPEC projects: Minister for Planning and Development.
• Authorities had decided to divide the Railway line project into three phases because of huge cost estimation of $8.3 billion.

On Friday, a meeting was held and presided over by Minister for Planning and Development Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar on the progress that has been made by the projects falls under the CPEC.

Railway Line Project
Decisions about the $8.3 billion Railway Line Project from Karachi to Peshawar (ML-1) would be taken to the CPEC Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) in a meeting that is due in November, says the minister.

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Aug 23, 2019
He further advices the price preview committee to speed up its consultation with the directives of the prime minister.

On the complaint of Railways ministry, a price review forms a committee to address the issues of the CPEC project. Top government officials due to fear of accountability in the future were reluctant to move ahead on price negotiations says, source.

Prime Minister Imran Khan due to unease expressed by Chinese officials directed the committee to speed up the work. Moreover, inform him directly as soon as the project is complete so that decisions can be shared with officials.

Authorities decide to divide the project into three phases because of huge cost estimation. The first phase will complete in three years that involves four sections of 183km, 120km, 132km, and 118km. The first phase will cost $3 billion.

China wants Grand Inauguration
Ministries were thinking about the soft opening of the Sukkur-Multan Motorway next week but delayed on China’s call. China is insisting on the high-level inauguration, as this is the largest infrastructure worth of $2.9bn under the CPEC.

The Chinese embassy is planning on a grand inauguration ceremony for the 392km project.

Furthermore, efforts are being made for 100pc timely payments to Chinese investors by December.

The NEPRA informed the meeting that it had given the excise for Port Qasim on Sept 16. Whereas, the law ministry would move a rundown for setting up investigative courts to determine tax issues identified with the power ventures.
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Sukkur-Multan motorway to enhance connectivity, boom businesses
By
Agencies
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September 21, 2019
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Tehseen Majeed used to work hundreds of miles away from her home in Pakistan’s central city of Multan after completing her education, as she did not have any suitable job opportunity in her area at hometown.

“I was working in Islamabad and would see my mother after two or sometimes three months when I travelled back to Multan. Life in boarding was also not easy, but I had to live it, because there was not even a single job opportunity for me as a contact manager in my hometown until Chinese company set up its system in Multan to build Sukkur-Multan motorway,” the 27-year-old woman told Xinhua.

She is one of about 28,900 local employees who took part in the construction of the recently completed Sukkur-Multan motorway — a fraction of Peshawar to Karachi Motorway (PKM) project. The newly-built road is the largest infrastructure project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), constructor of the 392-km project, complete the motorway within a record period of 36 months, about two weeks ahead of schedule in extremely hot weather in centre Pakistan.

Over 90pc of the CSCEC’s employees are local Pakistanis. Majeed’s job is to maintain the road, for which she has to frequently visit the site in the scorching heat of 50 degrees Celsius.

However, she is happy to forgo her peaceful life working for the previous employer in Islamabad to opt for her current challenging job as the respect and appreciation she is getting for her job now makes her work harder as her Chinese colleagues.

The road, which sneaks through the heart of Multan to Sukkur and finally will connect with the country’s business hub Karachi, will unfold immense business opportunities for the country’s centre area by enabling local farmers to send commodities within the country and to the outside world.

Multan is rich in mangoes, which is fondly called as king of fruits in South Asia. Multan-grown mangoes are unique in its taste, with some varieties available only in the region. Apart from that, sugarcane, cotton, wheat, and a variety of vegetables are also grown in the area.

With the newly constructed motorway, which has shrunk the distance by almost half travelling from Multan to Sukkur, the district’s connectivity with other parts of the country will be enhanced, enabling it to transport local commodities in a timely manner.

Makers of Multan’s hand-embroidered clothes and hand-painted pottery, earthenware and camel-ware will also get benefit from the road network with a cheaper transportation cost.

The motorway has also equipped local people with modern skills besides giving them knowledge and experience to use modern machinery. Many local farmers are now skilled labourers with the help of the Chinese engineers working on the project.

• TAGS
• Education
• islamabad
• job opportunity
• Multan
• Pakistan