ISLAMABAD - A parliamentary committee was Thursday informed that Gwadar and Quetta cannot be included in the ML-I project, however, a study for Gwadar to Peshawar Railway has been conducted.

Senate Standing Committee on Planning Development and Special Initiatives, which met here with Senator Agha Shahzeb Durrani in the chair, discussed merged FATA districts funds, funds for TDPs and Motorway projects.

Regarding the inclusion of Gwadar and Quetta in the ML-I project, the committee was informed that ML-I is a CPEC project.  ML-I is from Karachi to Peshawar and other areas cannot be included in the project.

The project is designed keeping in view the tariff and Railways limited budget, the committee was informed.

However, it was informed that a study has been conducted to connect Gwadar to Peshawar via Quetta and Zhob and the project is part of the CPEC framework.

Traffic on MI has been increased by almost 82.37 percent while on M2 Motorway it was increased by 28.20 percent in three years (2016 to 2019).

The committee questioned that the traffic has doubled in the past three years and what steps have been taken to control it.

The Chairman of the committee said that there is traffic congestion on motorway toll plazas and there is no progress in M-Tag. People will not come towards M-Tags unless incentives are offered to them, he said.

Regarding Gwadar Eastbay and Breakwater construction, the committee was told that the projects are being funded through PSDP.

Secretary planning informed the committee that new feasibility study is being carried out for the development of Gwadar’s existing infrastructure.

Regarding the construction of Motorway M6 from Sukkur to Hyderabad, it was informed that the length of the road will be 306 kilometers and 100 feet wide.

The motorway section will require 6534 acres of land which includes 85 percent agriculture land and it will go through 6 districts, 17 tehsils and 119 villages.

Funds have been received for land purchase in 6 districts, however, no payment has yet been made.

Agha Shahzeb Durrani showed displeasure over the non-payment and said that they were required to make payment soon after imposition of section 4.

The committee also directed to submit all the record regarding payments within one month.