QUETTA, March 1: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has allocated Rs1 billion for the construction and improvement of various highways in the province.

NHA general manager Mohammed Saeed, while briefing Governor Abdul Quadir about various road projects in the province, said that during the financial year 2001-02 the NHA had spent Rs212 million on the construction and repair of highways in Balochistan.

He informed the governor that the total length of highways in the province was 2300 km and the NHA was spending millions of rupees on repair, including Chaman-Quetta-Karachi, Quetta-Sibi, Dera Allahyar, Quetta-Taftan, Quetta-Zhob and Loralai-Dera Ghazi Khan roads.

Mr Quadir asked the NHA authorities to speed up the construction and repair work of the highways in the province and complete all the projects within the stipulated time.

He said that special attention should be given on Kuchlak- Zhob, Khuzdar-Shahdad Kot roads and Wadah Bela section. Moreover, high standard of construction should be maintained and funds allocated for the projects should be spent properly, he added.

The governor directed that widening of the Zarghoon road should be extended up to Sariab crossing and Blili.

He said that the federal government would provide funds for the mega project of making expansion in the Kuchlak- Zhob road, and the Kodhana Sar-Mughal Kot should be extended to Dera Ismail Khan as President Gen pervez Musharraf was taking personal interest in the project.