ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Communication Murad Saeed has vowed to continue the project financing method of build-operate-transfer (BOT) for executing mega highway projects in the country.

Speaking at a ceremony at the National Highway Authority’s (NHA) headquarters here on Sunday, he said he had decided to continue the option of BOT earlier adopted by NHA’s former chairman Shahid Ashraf Tarar for highway projects.

The ceremony was organised to launch a mobile app of the NHA which will give access to the public about information regarding affairs of the country’s premier road network authority.

NHA launches mobile app for providing information about its affairs to public

“The NHA is encouraging the undertaking of road construction projects on BOT basis,” he said.

Mr Tarar was said to be a blue-eyed officer of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and during his tenure he had awarded road projects worth billions of rupees on the basis of BOT. He always gives himself a credit of introducing a new regime in the NHA in which major highways are constructed on the basis of BOT without putting any financial burden on the national exchequer.

NHA mobile app

The NHA has become ‘open to all’ after the authority launched its mobile application for giving access to information to people about its affairs.

“In order to ensure right of access to information the NHA has launched its mobile app, enabling road users to obtain information regarding details of NHA projects, their status, CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) routes, road safety guidelines, toll plazas and information relating to the motorway police on one touch,” the minister said.

NHA Chairman Jawwad Rafique Malik and senior officers of the Ministry of Communications, NHA, National Highways and Motorway Police were also present at the ceremony.

The minister claimed that the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf government had achieved all targets it had set after coming into power for the Ministry of Communications and its attached departments. It had been realised that the NHA should be more open for the public, therefore, the mobile app had been launched, he added.

Mr Saeed said transparency demanded provision of all information to the public and the NHA’s mobile app would pave the way to bring about transparency in road building schemes.

The NHA mobile app, he said, allowed users to get information about ongoing projects with project name, source of funds, current progress, contact details and project location, adding that new endeavours were being made to increase NHA’s revenues.

“This will help reduce burden on the national exchequer and enable the NHA to work as a great contributor to national economy,” he added.

The minister claimed that encroachments on NHA lands worth about Rs1.28 billion had been removed. The authority was successful in saving Rs2.7 million on account of fuel expenditures.

The minister said the communication ministry was successfully advancing its clean and green Pakistan campaign with the cooperation of departments of climate change, forest and agriculture. “Work on E-tendering and E-bidding is also in progress. Each of us should have to work with dedication and honesty at his respective position to put the country on the track of development,” he added.

Speaking on the occasion, the NHA chairman said the mobile app would help provide information to the public about road building schemes. He said the app was prepared at a very low cost and in a short time period.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2018