Latest news with #NationalHighwayAuthority
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
NHA achieves Rs50 billion revenue surge
Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan informed the Senate on Friday that the National Highway Authority (NHA) achieved a historic increase of Rs50 billion in revenues during the 2024-25 fiscal year, with earnings climbing from Rs64 billion to Rs110 billion — a remarkable 100% rise. The minister also updated senators on the progress regarding the Lowari Tunnel's access roads. He stated that the 33.2 km network is split into two phases. The first phase, covering 18.6 km, was completed in 2010 and has been serving traffic since. The second phase, stretching 14.6 km, saw its southern segment finished in December 2020.
India Gazette
03-07-2025
- Health
- India Gazette
J-K: Medical camps set up as 38-day Amarnath Yatra commences today
Ramban (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 3 (ANI): Authorities have set up 17 medical camps at langar sites, established mini hospitals, and deployed ambulances across Ramban district as the 38-day Amarnath pilgrimage commences today, weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead following religious profiling. Ramban Chief Medical Officer Kamal Zadoo told ANI, 'On behalf of the health department, we have set up 17 camps at langar sites and lodgement centres across Ramban district from Nashri tunnel to Navyug tunnel. Mini hospitals have been established at Yatri Niwas Chanderkot and Lambhar Ground, featuring a four-bed indoor facility, a laboratory, and an ECG unit. We have also placed cardiac monitors there this year. Two ambulances have been deployed at Yatri Niwas Chanderkot, the Langar Site in Chanderkot, and Lambhar Ground. We have also kept back-up ambulances for any untoward incidents...' 'The National Highway Authority and the administration have provided four additional ambulances, which we have deployed for yatra duty'. Earlier today, a fresh batch of pilgrims set off for the holy cave of Shri Amarnath Baba, chanting 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Bam Bam Bhole' as they began their journey. One pilgrim at the Baltal base camp, who is visiting the Amarnath shrine for the 14th time, praised the arrangements. 'I am from Sangrur, Punjab. This is the 14th time I have come for the Amarnath Yatra. There is no need to rush. The arrangements made by the government are excellent,' he told ANI. A pilgrim from Bengal, who was part of the first group departing from the Pahalgam base camp, also expressed satisfaction. 'We are very happy. We have no fear. Our government is very good... Our Army is also very good. We have no reason to be afraid,' he said. Another devotee from the same batch added, 'The facilities are very good... Everything belongs to Bhole Baba. We possess nothing... The arrangements are excellent.' Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri said the enthusiasm among devotees for the 38-day yatra is unmatched. 'This Yatra is not just a religious Yatra. Security forces, 'pitthus', and every service provider are involved in it... The enthusiasm among the devotees is unparalleled. I pray that everyone's wishes are fulfilled and there is peace and happiness in Kashmir and the rest of the country,' he said. Kavita Saini, a pilgrim making her first trip to Amarnath, also shared her experience. 'This is my first time for the Amarnath Yatra. The experience is very good. We got our medical certificate and registration from here. Everyone was very helpful. The Delhi Police and Kashmir Police were all very helpful to us... I will pray that there is peace and happiness in our country and that whatever happened recently does not happen again.' The 38-day pilgrimage ends on August 9. It will follow two routes, the traditional 48-kilometre Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter but steeper 14-kilometre Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The first group of pilgrims departed from the Bhagwati Nagar base camp in Jammu on July 2. (ANI)
Hans India
01-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Cabinet approves Rs 1,853 crore project to build 4-lane Paramakudi-Ramanathapuram highway in Tamil Nadu
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the construction of the 4-lane Paramakudi-Ramanathapuram section stretching across 46.7 km in Tamil Nadu, at a total capital cost of Rs 1,853 crore. Currently, connectivity between Madurai, Paramakudi, Ramanathapuram, Mandapam, Rameshwaram, and Dhanushkodi is dependent on the existing 2-lane National Highway 87 (NH-87) and associated State Highways, which experience significant congestion due to high traffic volumes, especially in densely populated stretches and key towns along the corridor. To address these challenges, the project will upgrade 46.7 km of NH-87 from Paramakudi to Ramanathapuram to a 4-lane configuration. This will decongest the existing corridor, improve safety, and cater to the mobility needs of rapidly growing towns such as Paramakudi, Sathirakudi, Achundanvayal and Ramanathapuram, according to the official statement issued after the meeting. The project alignment integrates with 5 major National Highways (NH-38, NH-85, NH-36, NH-536, and NH-32) and 3 State Highways (SH-47, SH-29, SH-34), providing seamless connectivity to key economic, social, and logistics nodes across southern Tamil Nadu, the statement explained. Additionally, the upgraded corridor will enhance multi-modal integration by connecting with two major railway stations (Madurai and Rameshwaram), one airport (Madurai), and two minor ports (Pamban and Rameshwaram), thereby facilitating faster movement of goods and passengers across the region. Upon completion, the Paramakudi-Ramanathapuram section will play a pivotal role in regional economic growth, strengthening connectivity between major religious and economic centres, boosting tourism to Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, and opening new avenues for trade and industrial development. The project will also generate approximately 8.4 lakh person-days of direct and 10.45 lakh person-days of indirect employment, and will open new avenues of growth, development and prosperity in surrounding regions, according to the statement. The project will be implemented under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM). The salient features of the model include that the project concessionaire shall be selected through an open, transparent, and competitive bid mechanism. Support of 40 per cent of the Bid Project Cost will be payable to the concessionaire by the National Highway Authority in five equal instalments linked to project completion milestones. The concessionaire will have to initially bear the balance 60 per cent of the project cost through a combination of equity and debt and construct the project highway.
Business Recorder
26-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Lyari Expressway-I
Modernizing payment systems could address commuter concerns while improving revenue efficiency. The Lyari Expressway toll structure has undergone significant adjustments in recent months, with rates increasing from Rs 30 to Rs 70 — representing a 133 percent rise over an eight-month period. While the National Highway Authority (NHA) cites infrastructure maintenance and improvement costs as justification for these increases, the implementation reveals a fundamental disconnect between modern transportation management practices and ground realities faced by Karachi's business community and daily commuters. The economic cost of inefficiency: the current manual toll collection system presents a compelling case study in operational inefficiency. During peak business hours - particularly morning office start times and evening shift changes - thousands of commuters experience delays ranging from 15 to 30 minutes solely for toll payment processing. This translates to significant economic losses across multiple sectors. For Karachi's business ecosystem, these delays represent more than mere inconvenience. Late arrivals affect productivity, increase fuel consumption during idle periods, and create cascading delays throughout supply chains. When port city operations depend on timely movement of goods and personnel, every minute lost in toll queues has measurable economic impact. The financial implications extend beyond individual businesses. Transportation costs ultimately factor into product pricing, affecting competitiveness in both domestic and export markets. In an economy where efficiency gains can provide crucial advantages, maintaining antiquated toll collection methods represents a missed opportunity for systemic improvement. Farooq Mustafa Chaudhry (Karachi) Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
14-06-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Dualisation of Pindi-Kahuta Road greenlit
The long-awaited project for the dualisation of the Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road, one of the most critical routes linking Rawalpindi to Azad Kashmir, has been officially incorporated into the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2025-26. The project also encompasses the construction of a four-lane overhead bridge at the Sihala Railway Gate and the development of bypasses at Sihala and Kahuta. The total cost of the project is estimated to exceed Rs23.84 billion. Upon completion, the travel time between Rawalpindi and Kahuta will be reduced to just 40 minutes. The 28.4-kilometre stretch from Kacheri Chowk in Rawalpindi to Main Bazaar in Kahuta, passing through Sihala, serves as a vital link connecting to two key routes leading to Kotli and Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir. Currently, the absence of a dual carriageway and an overhead bridge at the Sihala Railway Gate has resulted in frequent traffic congestion, accidents, and daily casualties along this critical corridor. The severely deteriorated condition of the single-lane road has stretched what should be a one-hour journey into a two to two-and-a-half-hour ordeal. Increasing traffic pressure on this narrow route continuously hampers traffic flow. To address these issues, the project has now been incorporated into the PSDP under the supervision of the National Highway Authority (NHA) as part of the ongoing development program in the federal budget. The project got approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on July 27, 2023. It includes the dualisation of the Kahuta Road, construction of the overhead bridge at the Sihala railway crossing, development of bypasses in Sihala and Kahuta, compensation for displaced properties, and the relocation of utility services. It is worth noting that the Rawalpindi-Kahuta route via Sihala is the shortest path to several key destinations. Besides providing direct access to Kotli and Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir, this route also connects Kahuta to Matur, Bewar, and Kallar Syedan via Chowk Pandori, as well as Kotli Sattian and Murree. Given the importance of this corridor, the need to dualise the Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road and construct an overhead bridge at the Sihala Railway Gate has been long-standing. Successive governments have made repeated promises to initiate and complete the project, but it remained unfinished, resulting in ongoing difficulties for commuters. Sources say this route is an existing but incomplete NHA project. While some work had previously begun, it was left unfinished. However, it has now been decided to complete the project as swiftly as possible. The route falls under both Punjab and federal jurisdictions: from Kacheri Chowk to Sawan in Rawalpindi, including the Model Town Industrial Triangle to Sihala and Ari Syedan, the area lies within Islamabad territory; from Ari Syedan to Kahuta, the road falls under the jurisdiction of Punjab.
