LARKANA, Aug 11 Bridge over the River Indus connecting Larkana to Khairpur will be opened for traffic on Nov 2.

The bridge, costing Rs1215 million, is being constructed under the Larkana Development Package, Sikandar Ali Zardari, director (construction) of the National Highway Authority (NHA), told journalists here on Tuesday.

He said 72.65 per cent of work on the 1.222-kilometre bridge had been completed. It bridge would have 65-km three approach roads which would cost Rs5,676.374 million. The roads would be connected to the bridge in the mid-June 2010, he added.

However, he admitted that the NHA was behind schedule.

He said due to the law and order situation at certain points, the work was delayed, but claimed that the NHA would overcome the gap and finalise the approach roads in time.

He said Rangers were not deployed at the site, but it continued patrolling.

He said 22 kilometers roads from Larkana side would be constructed along with the J-spur and guide bank under phase one of the Larkana Development Package-I and under its

phase package-II, 10 kilometre road would be constructed from the bridge to Razidero embankment along with guide bank (Left). Under phase-III of the package, 24-km approach road would be constructed from Raizdero to Tando Masti Khan.

The NHA director said that a 65.80-km road from Larkana to Lakhi via Naudero would be constructed in two phases at a cost of Rs2218.54 million.

The road link would be opened for traffic in mid July 2010, he added.

Another project of the dual carriage way of 28km from Larkana to Mohejodaro would be constructed Rs2653.244 million and completed in the mid July 2010. The work on both projects was in full swing, he said.

He said that work on the 68km-two-lane roads from Larkana to Qambar, from Ratodero to Naudero and from Qambar to Shahdadkot would be started within a fortnight at a cost of Rs2,660.348 million.