Minister directs to remove all corrupt officers from NHA

ISLAMABAD  -  Adopting a zero tolerance policy in the National Highway Authority, Federal Minister for Communications, Privatization and Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan has directed for strict indiscriminate action against corrupt officers and officials in the department while in this regard, the Chairman NHA has been given a deadline of one week.

In a high-level meeting of the National Highway Authority, the minister directed a large-scale operation clean-up and said that no “Sifarish” should be accepted for those involved in corruption and only qualified, honest and capable officers should be posted on all positions.

The federal minister observed that the NHA should work on a plan to remove barriers on motorways and propose electronic toll plazas so that citizens do not have to stand in long queues.

He said that the Lahore, Sialkot and Kharian to Islamabad Motorway should have to be of 6 lanes instead of 4 lanes keeping in mind the traffic pressure in the future.

The high-level meeting also discussed and took important decisions on the construction of highways from Baila to Awaran and Zhob to Loralai, as well as the construction of a new bypass on the Kala Shah Kaku to Multan Road and road from Sagian to Ravi bridge while the NHA’s plan to expand the Margalla Highway and connect it to the M-1 was also discussed.

The meeting also discussed the ongoing projects of the NHA in all the four provinces and took important decisions in this regard including increasing the pace of work.

The federal minister said that all highways and motorways should be connected to cameras and CCTVs so that every vehicle can be monitored.

The meeting expressed that the provinces can also join the NHA in the construction of new roads and highways.

The Federal Secretary for Communications and Chairman National Highway Authority gave a detailed briefing to the federal minister on important departmental matters and various proposals were finalized.

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