LARKANA, April 18: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has agreed to immediately release Rs380 million to expedite work at the Abad dyke of Indus near Larkana-Khairpur Bridge and the remaining construction of the Larkana-Mohenjodaro, Larkana-Lakhi and Ratodero-Naudero roads. District coordination officer of Larkana Abdul Aleem Lashari said that MNA Faryal Talpur presided over on Saturday a meeting with NHA Chairman Junaid Ahmed and its three general managers Nazir Ahmed Bhayo, Abdul Aziz Langhah and Shabir Shah in Karachi and discussed the projects to be executed under the Larkana package.

“We have prioritised two projects, the Larkana-Mohenjodaro road and Ratodero-Naudero road via Garhi Khuda Bakhsh Bhutto, for which the NHA chairman has agreed to release Rs130 million within 10 days,” the DCO said. He said the amount required will be regularly released to complete work on the projects.

For the river training programme, which included construction of J-spur, guide bank, mole and the strengthening of the bund, the NHA would provide Rs200 millions in one month, he said.

Work on the 28-km Larkana-Mohenjodaro dual-carriageway had been stopped in December 2010 because of non-availability of funds, which has increased problems for road users and slowed down pace of work at J-spur, mole and for marginal strengthening of the Abad bund.

Work on the Rs3.5 billion Larkana-Mohejodaro road was started on May 14, 2009, but it still remains incomplete.

The NHA had to clear Rs1500 million as liability of the contractor for the project, sources said. In July 2010, only two kilometres of the road was carpeted.

Work on strengthening 4km Abad bund had not started yet, the NHA sources said, adding that only 40 per cent work on J-spur had been completed so far.