ISLAMABAD, June 26: The National Highway Improvement Programme (NHIP) initiated by the National Highway Authority (NHA) will cost $261 million.This was stated in the NHA Executive Board meeting here on Saturday.

The meeting, presided over by the authority chairman, Gen Farrukh Javed, was informed that the World Bank would provide $200 million for the programme, while the remaining $61 million would be contributed by the Pakistan government and the NHA from toll revenue.

The meeting was also told that under the NHIP, sections of Karachi-Lahore-Peshawar national highway (N-5) would be repaired and improved. Several decisions were taken to award contracts for improvement of Hyderabad-Hala, Karachi-Hyderabad, Hala-Chanesar bridge, and Chanesar bridge-Moro carriageway.