The National Highway Authority (NHA) has decided to find a safer alternative route for the Islamabad-Lahore Motorway (M2) in the salt range area. This section is known to be the slowest and most dangerous part of the motorway.
During a recent meeting led by Secretary Communications Ali Sher Mehsud, the Departmental Development Working Party approved a feasibility study for the project. NHA is now seeking a reputable consultancy firm to update the feasibility study and design a detailed plan for the realignment.
The Islamabad-Lahore Motorway, completed in 1997, is a crucial link in Pakistan’s motorway network. However, the salt range section is famous for frequent accidents, natural disasters, and steep climbs, particularly challenging for cargo vehicles with its 7% uphill gradient.
Despite low driving speeds, this 10-kilometer stretch with a 7% downward slope has seen numerous fatal accidents, including a tragic incident where a school bus’s brakes failed, resulting in the death of 40 children. In another unfortunate event, a passenger bus lost control due to brake failure, causing a collision that resulted in the loss of 20 lives.
This dangerous section begins after the Kallar Kahar interchange when traveling towards Lahore from Islamabad. Since the motorway’s opening, there have been over 350 accidents in the salt range, causing more than 200 fatalities.
Given the increasing traffic demands, NHA emphasizes the need for effective solutions to improve safety and accommodate future traffic growth. The proposed plan includes constructing tunnels and tubes, with an initial assessment suggesting the need for 1,115-meter-long tunnels. Once completed, the designed speed will increase to 90 km/h.
A previous study in 2006 recommended building a new alignment for heavy traffic to avoid landslides, but the project was delayed despite strong support from then-Chairman NHA Maj-Gen (retired) Farrukh Javed.
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I always thank Nawaz sharif for making such motorways across Pakistan. Without them it looks impossible for me to travel
We as a nation are in the habit of ‘leaping before we look’. It is the same salt range that was there when the motorway was constructed. Did we never think of consequences when the motorway was planned? It is true that such slow and dangerous stretches should be better avoided on otherwise important and fast routes but had the brains been used with some focus, the fresh expenditure would have been avoided. Anyway good luck to ‘Thekedars’ and the organizations that will be involved. This is how money is made.
Youthia virus is still strong with you.
I, a former sufferer, have fully recovered thankfully. But your case seems chronic.
Thanks for you candid comments n open opinion . In the fag end of pml n government for in 1997 the then pm inargurated the country’s first motorway in uncertain n tentative political scenario for the sack of inauguration lest he might not deprived from this deserving opportunity the dream was he seeing since past several years.
So that patch of this project was divert in hustle n bustle in this tricky salt range sites resulted a lot of turns n twists were taken for the premature accomplishment of this daunting task by that government.
i will a suggest a route from pindi bhattian to gujrat motorway and further linking it with kharian islamabad motorway
Why are you begging? Can’t you use the resources at your disposal. At present media is earning a lot in Pakistan.