Kharian Rawalpindi Motorway Project Land Acquisition Assessment Completed

Gujrat: The price assessment for land acquisition for the Kharian Rawalpindi motorway as well as two other infrastructure projects in Gujrat. As per a senior official, as much as 18,526 kanals and 10 marlas land has to be acquired for the motorway project only in three tehsils of Gujrat district 6,488 kanals and five marlas in Gujrat tehsil, 9,074 kanals and five marlas in Kharian and 3,000 Kanal in Sara-i-Alamgir tehsil. A senior admin member told that the price assessment was completed as per govt evaluation table, however, at least 15 percent extra amount would be paid to the owners as compulsory acquisition charges. Earlier in the 18th meeting of the Board of Directors of the Private Public Partnership Authority (P3A), the transaction structure of the Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway was approved. The 117 km 4-lane (expandable to 6-lane) motorway will provide the shortest alternative route between Lahore and Islamabad/Rwp. Once started the project is expected to be completed in 24 months at a cost of Rs 80 billion.

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 The Board meeting also considered the transaction structure proposed by P3A and the commercial feasibility study carried out by National Highway (NHA). The board had approved the transaction structure of the project to be implemented on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) – user-charge basis. However, government support in the form of capital and operational Viability Gap Fund (VGF) will be provided to make the project financially viable for the private sector. The concession period of the project would be 25 years including the construction period. It is relevant to mention here that the NHA has already launched the land acquisition process for the Kharian-Islamabad motorway project, and land in eight tehsils of Gujrat, Jhelum, and Rawalpindi has been identified.