ISLAMABAD, Nov 10: The communications ministry has sought approval of the planning commission to undertake the construction of the Rs6.5 billion Indus Highway (N-55) phase-III project.

Official sources said the ministry had submitted a 'Global PC-1' to the planning commission for approval.

The project is anticipated to become an important trade route for the Central Asian states desiring to trade internationally through the Karachi port in the south of Indus Highway.

The project, likely to be taken up within this year, will be completed by 2008. The improvement of Indus Highway phase-I and II has already been completed.

It has been envisaged in the PC-I that the project will bring about positive changes in the areas along the proposed highway.

With the completion of the project, the entire Indus Highway will become more operational and provide quick and better travel facilities to the residents of the project areas on the west bank of the river Indus. In addition, it will shorten Peshawar-to-Karachi journey by around 325km.

It will cut short distances between Karachi and destinations lying in the north and south of Dadu. Vehicles using Karappa-Gambila section, which is a bypass to Bannu, will save up to 35km.

It will also provide an alternative link from Karachi to Peshawar and take away much of the traffic from N-5.

The communications ministry believes that the Indus Highway as a whole would provide an opportunity of development of backward areas on the western side of the Indus River. A surge in agricultural and industrial activities is also being anticipated.

The phase-III stretches of the Indus Highway are located in the south, connecting Sehwan with Ratodero via Larkana. Other towns linked by the highway on its alignment route are Jamshoro, Sehwan, Dadu, Larkana, Shikarpur and Kashmor in Sindh; Rajanpur and D.G. Khan in Punjab, and D.I. Khan, Karak and Kohat in the NWFP.