Decades before it is completed? Parts of it is already completed, other parts are already under construction. Also, you understand, road is only part of it right? Read the list of major projects and see how many are not related to highways at all.
If anyone think this is going to be the end all be all of Pakistan economic improvement then they are deluded, but if you think this project is going to be anything less than a big part of that, then you need to look at Indian projects that are currently on going and say whether it will play a part in India's ascent.
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Thanks for your comment. I quoted decades because I've seen how time-consuming construction and haphazard of such large-scale projects takes in India - even when money and political will is available. In the end the efficacy of such networks is only as good as their weakest link.
This was an interesting read - http://www.dawn.com/news/1296727
[I am not using this to gloat over CPEC's progress - but just to highlight the huge disconnect between expectation and reality] The Dawn article is only about the roads within Pakistan - I do not know technologically how feasible it will be to have all-weather wide roads crossing north Kashmir. All this, is of course relevant to the extent CPEC is an outlet for Chinese goods as an alternative to shipping.
There are many power projects under construction it would appear - but there's nothing to indicate the setting up of a manufacturing base as yet that will use this power for export oriented products [made in Pakistan]. And even if there were such a base what is the target market where such products will be competitive? Gwadar port development - when that happens - will not itself generate a demand for shipping services [either import or export] given that Karachi port itself is underutilized.
My perception is that China and Pakistan have very different expectations and objectives for CPEC. China's objective seems a lot less trade-oriented whereas in Pakistan there's a perception that this will solve all problems.