• Rs4.6bn released; work on 62km highway to begin within a month
• Project to be completed in a year under Road Maintenance Account Fund

ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has approved an amount of Rs4.6 billion for the dualisation of the dilapidated Multan-Lodhran Road.

The funds have been released and construction work on the 62-kilometre-long highway is scheduled to begin within the next month.

The approval was granted following a formal request by Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani, who also belongs to the same region.

Federal Communications Minister Abdul Aleem Khan has granted official approval for the project, which will be financed entirely through the Road Maintenance Account Fund.

Estimated at Rs4.6bn, the project is expected to be completed within one year. The initiative also includes the elevating of 44.8 kilometres of the existing track to ensure uniformity between both carriageways, significantly improving overall road safety and travel efficiency.

Dilapidated for years

The vital road link has remained in a severely dilapidated condition for years, causing inconvenience, safety hazards, and prolonged travel delays for commuters and commercial transporters.

Once completed, the highway is expected to streamline regional traffic flow, reduce travel time, and boost economic activities across the region.

Expressing satisfaction over the development, the Senate chairman said a key promise made to the residents of Multan and Lodhran was finally being fulfilled.

The reconstruction and dualisation of this key highway would provide safer, more efficient, and high-quality travel facilities to the public, he added.

“My priority is to address the long-standing issues faced by the people of South Punjab through sustainable development initiatives. I am confident that this project will be completed within the stipulated timeframe,” he said.

Gilani reiterated his commitment to resolving longstanding infrastructural issues in South Punjab through sustainable development to improve the quality of life of the locals.

A firm, Ningxia Communication Construction, was awarded a contract of Rs6.86 billion for the Multan-Lodhran project in 2021 by NHA. However, the NHA disqualified the firm in 2023 for failing to complete the project.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2026