M5 motorway (Pakistan)

The M5 Motorway, also known as the Karachi-Lahore Motorway is a 1,152 km long road which will connect Pakistan's two largest cities by a 4 to 6-lane controlled access highway designed for travel speeds up to 120 kilometers per hour.^[1] It was devised in the early 1990s under as the M5 Motorway. It is now considered a major component of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor, and will cost approximately $6.6 billion, with the bulk of financing to be distributed by various Chinese state-owned banks.^[2]

Project History and Background

Approval for a Chinese-financed motorway between Karachi and Lahore predates the formal announcement of CPEC, and was granted in July 2014.^[3] Plans for such a motorway linking the two cities was first devised over 25 years ago, with construction works on Pakistan's first motorway projects commencing in 1991.^[4]

Project Details

The project is divided into four sections: a 136 kilometer long section between Karachi and Hyderabad, a 296 kilometer long section between Hyderabad and Sukkur, a 387 kilometer long section between Sukkur and Multan, and a 333 kilometer section between Multan and Lahore via the town of Abdul Hakeem.^[5] Construction began on the Lahore to Multan section in November 2015.^[6]

First Section: Karachi to Hyderabad

The first section of the project will provide high speed road access from the Port of Karachi to the city of Hyderabad and interior Sindh. Upgrade and construction works on the Super Highway between Karachi and Hyderabad began in March 2015, and will convert the road into a 4-lane controlled access motorway which will be completed in an estimated 30 months.^[7]

Second Section: Hyderabad to Sukkur

At the terminus of the M9 motorway in Hyderabad, the Karachi-Lahore Motorway will continue onwards from Hyderabad to Sukkur as a six lane controlled-access motorway that will be 296 kilometers long.^[8] will terminate near the Nara Canal, and in turn connect to the next phase of the Karachi-Lahore Motorway to Multan. The planned cost for this project is $2.47 Billion.^[8] This section of the motorway will provide high speed road access to interior Sindh, and will be in close proximity to Matiari, Tando Adam ,Shahdadpur , Nawabshah, and Khairpur.

The project will consist of seven interchanges, 25 bridges on the Indus river and its canals.^[8] The planned route of the motorway runs roughly parallel to the existing two-lane National Highway and one-lane Indus Highway.

Third Section: Multan to Sukkur

The 392 kilometer Multan to Sukkur section of the motorway is estimated to cost $2.89 billion,^[9] and will be six lanes wide.^[10] 90% of the project's cost is to be financed by concessionary loans from China, with the remaining 10% to be financed by the government of Pakistan.^[11] The Pakistani government in January 2016 awarded the contact to build this section to China State Construction Engineering.^[12] Construction is planned to last 36 months.^[13]

Fourth Section: Multan to Lahore

Construction on the first new-build portion of the Karachi Lahore Motorway project between Lahore and Multan costing approximately $1.5 billion^[6] was launched in November 2015 ^[14] as a joint venture between the China Railway Construction Corporation Limited and Pakistan's Zahir Khan and Brothers Engineers^[15] The total length of the motorway will be 333 kilometers, however, the first 102 kilometers of the road between Khanewal and Abdul Hakeem is designed as part of the M-4 Motorway, resulting in overlap of the M4 with the Karachi-Lahore Motorway along this section.^[16] The portion of the Karachi-Lahore Motorway between Abdul Hakeem and Lahore will be 230 kilometers in length.^[17]

Project Financing

The M5 Motorway project forms a cornerstone of the much-larger China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). CPEC projects are financed by concessionary loans with interest rates of 1.6%.^[18] China will finance up to 90% of the cost, while the remaining 10% is to be financed by the Public Sector Development Programme of the Pakistani government.^[19]

Planned Interchanges

1. Jamshoro

2. N-55

3. Hyderabad

4. Matiari

5. Tando Adam

6. Shahdadpur

7. Nawabshah

8. Daur

9. Bhiria

10. Khairpur

11. Rohri

12. Pano Aqil

13. Ghotki

14. Guddu

15. Rahim Yar Khan

16. Zahir Pir

17. Tarinda

18. Uch Sharif

19. Jalal Pur Pir Wala

20. Shujabad

21. Multan

22. Khanewal

23. Makhdom Pur

24. Abdul Hakeem

25. Pir Mahal

26. Rajana

27. Samundri

28. Jaranwala

29. Nankana Sahib

30. Sharkpur

References