July 18, 2007	Wednesday	Rajab 02, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 17: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Communications was informed on Tuesday that almost all the roads and bridges damaged by recent floods in Balochistan had been restored and opened to traffic.

The committee, which met under its Chairman Brig (Retd) Zulfiqar Ahmad Dhillon, reviewed the extent of damage caused to highways in the province.

The meeting was informed that there were 1,737 culverts on the coastal highway out of which only 11 were partially damaged. Similarly, out of 67 bridges, six were affected causing temporary suspension of traffic. It was informed that all the damaged portions of the highway had since been repaired and the road was now opened for all kinds of traffic.

Further, the flood-affected portions of other roads in the province including Karachi-Khuzdar-Quetta (N-25) and Quetta-Sibi (N-65) had also been restored.

The chairman of the standing committee observed that despite unprecedented heavy floods, the bridges and other main structure on the coastal highway remained fully intact which was commendable. He said the impression that the floods had washed away the coastal highway was not correct and required to be conveyed to the general public.

Federal Minister for Communications Shamim Siddiqui informed the meeting that the coastal highway was being extended up to the Iranian border at Gabd and would be completed by June 2008.

He said the road would provide an additional link with Iran and it would be 300km shorter than the existing route through Taftan. He said the new link would also serve as an easy and short route for trade activities with the neighbouring country.

The minister also told the committee that a rest area was proposed along the coastal highway near Ormara.