by Ali Jaswal
ISLAMABAD, June 23 (Xinhua) -- On a hot day in summer, Kashif Nawaz, a senior official of Pakistan's National Highway Authority, visited the Sukkur-Multan Motorway, also known as M5, to inspect the project as part of his routine duty.
Kashif, the project director of the Sukkur-Multan Motorway, who has been part of this largest transportation infrastructure project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework from the beginning of the construction in 2016, feels quite satisfied with all the facilities and services at M5.
"At this motorway, the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC), the contractor of the project, was successful in providing all the facilities, including service areas, transportation system, equipment and safety mechanism. The constructor has achieved all the international standards," he said.
M5 is part of the country's Peshawar-Karachi Motorway and was designed for speeds of up to 120 km/h with a total investment of around 2.89 billion U.S. dollars.
It goes along the eastern bank of the River Indus and connects Sukkur city in the center of the southern Sindh province to Multan city in the southern part of the eastern Punjab province, enhancing connectivity, trade and transportation in the country.
Prior to this motorway, there was a narrow one-way single lane where the traffic used to be very slow with a constant problem for safety, Rizwana Athar, a resident of the southern port city of Karachi, told Xinhua.
"Ever since the motorway became operational, our fuel consumption has been reduced. Safety issues have been addressed, and we are experiencing beautiful scenery along the road," she said.
To ensure maximum safety, the Chinese company has installed an intelligent transportation system for the first time in Pakistan.
"It is the best transport system in the world. We can compare it to any good motorway of any modern country," said Masroor, the chief patrol officer of the Sukkur-Multan Motorway, adding that it has speed-checking cameras and automatic weight-measuring systems.
Weighing platforms of this type have been placed before the toll gates at all entry points. There is a special "weigh in motion" facility as well on the motorway with special sensors to measure the weight together with the cameras and a screen to record and display the information.
"If an overweight vehicle still enters the motorway, its details get displayed on the screen, and then the patrolling officer immediately stops the vehicle and asks them to go out from the motorway," Kashif said.
These facilities have been part of the design of M5, whereas, in other motorways, they were installed many years after their construction, said Masroor.
The motorway police have benefited a lot from this system, he said, adding, "We can monitor each and every vehicle, mistakes, violations, and especially if someone needs our help, the surveillance cameras give us information, and we have saved a lot of lives."
Additionally, this was the first project in the country where dormitories had been built at the service stations, and the construction of cattle creeps and pedestrian creeps was implemented to facilitate easy movement for the local people across the motorway.
Along with the preservation of farmlands and agricultural fields, the Chinese company also focused on the plantation along the M5 to promote a clean and green environment like all other CPEC projects.
Over 400,000 plants of different species were planted in three rows on both sides of the motorway.
Plus, embankment slopes were greened to prevent soil erosion, reducing the impacts of air pollution and dust.
The Chinese did not only carry out the plantation but also arranged water supplies through tankers for them, Masroor said, adding that these plants were grown despite strong odds like heat waves and extremely hot weather conditions as the temperature in the area rises to 52 degrees centigrade during summers.
Furthermore, the CSCEC paid special emphasis on corporate social responsibility and the area's socio-economic development. Most of the surrounding areas across the motorway are underdeveloped parts of Pakistan.
According to the constructor, some 29,000 jobs were created for the locals during the peak time of construction.
Over the years, the CSCEC has established scholarships and charity clinics, dug wells, and built canals.
"The Chinese procured material from the local market, hired people from the local community, involved them in the project and built good relations with them," Kashif said. ■