The National Highway Authority (NHA) has estimated a requirement of over Rs 3,000 billion for 64 ongoing development projects in the upcoming fiscal year (FY 2025-26), Daily Times has learnt reliably.
An additional Rs 49 billion is needed for five newly proposed schemes.
The NHA has submitted proposed funds summary to the ministry of planning through ministry of communications.
According to the summary, the authority sought Rs 3,219.9 billion for FY 2025-26 against 64 different development projects.
The NHA seeks Rs 2,405.5 billion for through-forward amounts on July 1, 2025. Through-forward amounts are the estimated additional funds required to complete all the ongoing development projects that are not yet finished.
Five new proposed schemes are included as construction of slide shelter structure and allied protection works on Jaglot Skardu Road (S-1), repair of adjoining roads connecting GT road N-5 (Shahdra Town, Lahore), widening of M-1 and M-2 and link road due to merger of Rawalpindi Ring Road, construction of enhanced slope stability and protection measures using open cut tunnels and advanced techniques between at Kohala-Muzaffarabad Road, dualization of Sialkot-eimanabad up-to Kamoke including link road. The PC-I of these schemes is under process for approval by the quarters concerned.
The documents revealed the NHA had started 15 new projects in previous year with approved cost of Rs 331.4 billion as compare to 5 for new FY. It had 90 ongoing schemes on that time of Rs 2,071.8 billion.
Out of approved amount of these projects only Rs 56.4 billion has been released by second quarter of the year. Moreover, the authority anticipated Rs 752.3 billion its expenditures by June 30, 2025.
Out of existing schemes mentioned in the proposed document, some of major schemes are included as dualization and Improvement of Old Banu Road, construction of the motorway from Burhan/Hakla to D I Khan, construction of Gawadar Radodero Road Project (M-8), Lahore-Multan Motorway (M-3 section) of Karachi-Lahore Motorway, Indus Highway (N-55) construction of additional carriageway (Shikarpur-Rajanpur Section), construction of Shandur-Gilgit Road, dualization of Khuzdar-Kuchlak section of National Highway (N-25), dualization of Kuclak-Zob section of N-50, Sialkot (Sambrial)-Kharian Motorway, Rehabilitation and construction of (N-5) from Moro to Rajanpur, Dualization and Improvement of existing N-50 from Yarik-Sagu-Zhob including Zohb Bypass. Relocation of Karakorum Highway between Thkot and Rialkot due to construction of dams on River Indus, construction of Lahore-Sahiwal-Bahawalpur Motorway, construction of Mahkhel Panjgoor Road and others.
Earlier, the NHA had set target to collect revenue of Rs 102,956 million for on-going FY by June. The NHA generates revenue through various streams. Among these, toll collection from motorways and highways across the country remains one of the primary sources of income for the authority.
Moreover, the authority has to pay Rs 73,000 million to various contractors for approximately 40 construction projects nationwide due to severe financial constraints. The NHA has launched over 37 development schemes across the country which includes building of new roads, construction of bridges, rehabilitation, dualization, up-gradation and others.
