ISLAMABAD, Aug 22: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has collected Rs1.36 billion toll tax and fines on Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M2) during the last three years.

This was told by communication minister Ahmed Ali to the National Assembly on Friday.

Responding to a written question asked by Farid Ahmad Paracha MNA, the minister said the total revenue during the last three years from Lahore-Islamabad Motorway and Lahore bypass was Rs1.526 billion and the expenditures during the previous three years on the same sector remained Rs1.006 billion.

Elaborating collection of toll tax from M2, the minister said during 2000-2001 the total collection was Rs414 million, which also included Rs24 million as fine. He said the collected toll tax was Rs452 million and Rs494 million during 2000-2001 and 2002-03 respectively.

The income from Lahore bypass in 2000-01 was Rs45 million, Rs54 million in 2001-02 and Rs38 million in 2002-03.

The minister said during 2002-03, about 10.5 million vehicles passed through Lahore-Islamabad Motorway with daily average of 23,608 vehicles.

He informed the assembly that during 2001-02, the average number of vehicle, which used the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway was 9.6 million.

Meanwhile, the minister said the Sangjani-Tarnol southbound (10.650 km) lane would be fully restored for traffic by January 31, 2004.

In his written reply to a question asked by Dr Ata-ur-Rehman MNA, he said there was no eastbound lane in N-5.

The contracted date of completion of this carriageway is January 31 next and it will be fully restored for traffic on the same date.

To another question by MNA Mohammad Hanif Abbasi, the communication minister said up to date progress of balance work of Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway Project (M-1) was around 2.4 per cent. The contract for balance work on the project was awarded on January 15 this year, he added.

He said Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway Project (M-1) was awarded to M/s. Bayindir Construction Inc. (BCI) of Turkey in 1993 on partial financing basis. However, the project was terminated in 1994 but was revived on original terms and conditions in 1997.

According to the revival agreement, 50 per cent of the construction cost of Rs16.82 billion was to be financed through foreign currency loan to be arranged by the BCI.

Accordingly, an amount of $332 million was stipulated to be arranged by the BCI. However, the company could arrange loan for only $100 million as buyer’s credit from the Turk Eximbank against GoP guarantee. The actual rate of payment of interest was 4.50 per cent over LIBOR.