A Chinese-led consortium overseeing the Rs146 billion expansion project of the N-55 highway has warned that any delays could jeopardize the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) concessional financing for the project, making it financially unfeasible due to rising costs, The Express Tribune reported.
The project, aimed at constructing an additional carriageway along the Indus Highway (N-55) between Rajanpur and Dera Ismail Khan, is part of the ADB’s Central Asia Regional Economic Corridor initiative. The expansion is expected to alleviate traffic congestion, improve road safety, and strengthen regional trade links.
The project’s procurement process, which began in December 2023 and lasted 18 months, was open and transparent, with bids received from around 20 firms. Ningxia Communications Construction of China, in partnership with Pakistan’s Rustam Associates and Dynamic Constructors, won the bid with a proposal Rs13.19 billion lower than its nearest competitor, and about 20% below the engineer’s estimate based on updated CSR-24 rates.
Imdadullah Khan, spokesperson for the consortium, said that the team was fully mobilised for timely delivery. “The groundbreaking, which was done by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, marks the beginning of a project that will not only upgrade infrastructure but revolutionize the way such projects are executed in Pakistan,” he stated.
The N-55 expansion will involve the construction of 330 kilometers of dual carriageway, including 121.5 kilometers from Rajanpur to Dera Ghazi Khan and 208 kilometers from DG Khan to Dera Ismail Khan. The plan also includes 11 new bypasses to divert heavy traffic from urban areas.
The bypasses will be strategically located at Rajanpur, Fazilpur, Muhammad Pur, Jampur, Mana Ahmadani, and Kot Chatta between Rajanpur and DG Khan, and at Shah Sadruddin, Kala, Shadan Lound, and Ramak between DG Khan and DI Khan.
Khan emphasized that the bid was evaluated and approved by both the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the ADB, despite challenges from unsuccessful bidders. “We won through open bidding, and some competitors are attempting to influence the process, but we remain confident in the legitimacy of the award,” he added.
The NHA, in a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office, defended the transparency of the bidding process, clarifying that the ADB had approved the bid before final approval was granted.
