NHA barred from allotting land to housing schemes on Motorway

The Senate Standing Committee on Communications believes that allowing housing societies to have interchanges on the road raises serious concerns and warns that the National Highway Authority (NHA) should avoid becoming complicit in the growth of private companies.

In a recent meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Communications, concerns were raised about the National Highway Authority (NHA) allowing housing societies to establish interchanges on motorways.

Chaired by Senator Pervaiz Rasheed, the meeting discussed the process for creating interchanges, which requires 4,000 kanals of land and involves a fee of Rs.5 million.

The NHA Chairman assured senators that the locations for future interchanges would soon be announced.

Senators expressed dissatisfaction regarding the lack of direct access from the M1 section to Islamabad International Airport, urging improvements for commuters.

The chairman confirmed that steps are being taken to address this issue and promised to report back after consulting with the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

Senator Samina Mumtaz highlighted alarming accident statistics on Balochistan’s highways, citing 46,000 accidents in five years. She demanded better responses from the NHA regarding safety and infrastructure issues.

The committee emphasized the need for accountability concerning funds allocated for projects in Balochistan, with calls for no new initiatives until ongoing projects are completed.

The NHA stated that Rs.26.5 billion has been invested in N25 over the past decade.