M-6 delays: panel seeks answers

A parliamentary panel on Tuesday expressed concern over delays in the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), seeking a detailed briefing from the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the relevant minister on the project's implementation timeline. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Special Initiatives reviewed the implementation of its earlier recommendations and examined progress on M-6, selected PSDP projects, the ML-1 project, NHA matters and Karachi infrastructure, according to a NA Secretariat news release. During discussion on M-6, the committee, chaired by MNA Syed Abdul Qadir Gillani, was informed that the project comprised five sections and its implementation had been affected by recent litigation. Groundbreaking would commence from the Sukkur side, while approvals for the Hyderabad section under the public-private partnership (PPP) mode were still awaited. Members expressed concern over repeated delays and implementation timelines and decided to seek the presence of the NHA chairman and the minister concerned at a subsequent meeting for a briefing. The committee also reviewed progress on Sindh sections of NHA projects included in the current PSDP concerning the rehabilitation and improvement of National Highway N-5. It was informed that the Moro-Ranipur section under Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of N-5, financed through the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Flood Emergency Loan, was in progress and targeted for completion by June 2027. The Hala-Moro section under Sectional Rehabilitation of N-5, being undertaken with Chinese grant assistance, had yet to commence. Similarly, work on the Ranipur-Sukkur section under Widening and Improvement of Priority Sections of N-5 (Phase-I), financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), had not commenced, with land procurement still in progress. Members raised concerns over the condition and quality of road infrastructure and sought greater clarity on the information presented to the committee. Further consideration was deferred, with the committee calling for a section-wise briefing supported by photographs. It requested participation of provincial representatives in future briefings on matters falling within their jurisdictions. The issue of toll charges on the Lyari Expressway was also discussed, with members raising concerns about the impact of increased toll charges on daily commuters and road safety. The committee sought clarification on the basis for the toll and discussed measures to minimise the financial burden on commuters. It also sought updates on the Dera Murad Jamali Bypass (N-25) and the Mian Channu-Kamalia Road, noting that the latter was not reflected in the current PSDP.