QUETTA, Jan 2: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has allocated Rs4,879.79 million for the construction of new highways, repair and maintenance of roads in Balochistan in the current fiscal year.

This was stated by NHA Chairman Maj-Gen Farrukh Javed at a press conference here on Wednesday.

He said that out of this amount Rs2,700 million would be spent on the Mekran-Coastal Highway project while Rs500 million on the Qilla-Saifullah-D.G.Khan-Multan (N-70) project, Rs400 million on the Quetta-Qilla Saifullah-Zhob-D.I.Khan-Mughal Kot Road (N-50) project, Rs200 million on the Dera Allah Yar-Nuttal-Sibi (N-65) Road project.

The chief said Rs1,079.793 million would be spent on the maintenance and repair of existing roads in the province.

He said total assets of the NHA amounted to Rs60 billion and total length of roads under the supervision of the authority was 8500km.

“We need at least Rs6 billion for the maintenance of roads, therefore we are making efforts to collect this amount from different sources,” he said.

He said the contract of 153-km-long Ormara-Pasni Road had been awarded to three contractors for early completion of this project.

Thirty eight per cent work on the D.I. Khan-Mughal Kot Road was remaining that would be completed till the beginning of 2004.