Nawabshah:A detailed meeting chaired by Commissioner Shaheed Benazirabad Division Ghulam Qadir Khan Talpur was held on Wednesday at his office to review traffic accidents occurring during the rehabilitation and construction of National Highway N-5 from Moro to Ranipur, slow pace of construction work, and measures being taken for the safety of commuters.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Naushehro Feroze Muhammad Arsalan Saleem, SSP Naushehro Feroze Mir Rohal Khoso, Additional Commissioner-II Syed Ammar Hussain, Director Information Muhammad Moosa Gondal, representatives of the National Highway Authority (NHA), China Railway 66th Group, National Highways and Motorway Police (NH and MP), police and other concerned officers.
The meeting expressed concern over the loss of precious human lives in accidents on the under-construction highway. On the occasion, Commissioner Shaheed Benazirabad Division Ghulam Qadir Khan Talpur expressed serious concern over the slow pace of construction work on the N-5 Moro-Ranipur section and repeated traffic accidents during construction. He said that the construction and rehabilitation of the National Highway is an important national project; however, human lives cannot be put at risk due to construction activities.
He said that construction work would not be hindered, but it must be completed safely and at an accelerated pace. The Commissioner said that providing a safe highway to commuters is the responsibility of the administration, and repeated accidents and loss of human lives are unacceptable.
He urged the NHA and contractor to make up for the time lost in construction and complete the project within the revised stipulated timeframe, while ensuring time-bound compliance with the decisions taken during the meeting.
The Commissioner directed that a clear and factual progress report be presented regarding the work completed so far, sections currently under construction and remaining kilometres on the Moro-Bhiria and Bhiria-Ranipur sections of N-5. He further directed that a realistic, time-bound timeline for completion of each section be provided after comparing the scheduled timeline with the current pace of work.
He directed the NHA and contractor to arrange additional manpower and machinery and, where necessary, make arrangements for night shifts so that delays could be compensated for and the project completed within the revised timeframe. He also directed that already-excavated and under-construction sections be completed or secured on a priority basis.
Regarding road safety, the meeting directed that proper road barriers, warning and reflective signs, road markings, delineators, traffic cones, safety barriers, lighting and floodlights be ensured at construction sites. Emphasis was also placed on strengthening road shoulders, establishing clear and safe traffic diversions and deploying adequate staff during night hours.
The Commissioner directed the NHA and contractor to identify accident-prone locations and immediately take safety measures at those points. Photographic evidence of the safety measures taken would also be submitted. He said that routes must remain available at all times for ambulances, Rescue 1122 and other emergency services.
The meeting was informed by SSP Naushehro Feroze Mir Rohal Khoso that 25 people had been killed and 29 injured in accidents in the under-construction area of the National Highway during the past three months. He proposed that the contractor provide financial assistance to those injured and the families of those killed in accidents.
He further proposed that, in order to reduce accidents on the under-construction highway, traffic coming from Jamshoro should be diverted towards the Indus Highway, while traffic coming from Sukkur and Punjab should be diverted towards the Indus Highway through Tando Masti and Larkana.
Speaking at the meeting, General Manager National Highways Noor Mustafa stated that 86 kilometres of road from Moro to Ranipur are under construction. He said the project was scheduled to commence in December 2024 and be completed by December 2026; however, due to security concerns faced by the Chinese contractor, the work started late and is now expected to be completed by June 2027.
He further stated that approximately 45 percent of the NHA's work has been completed.
The representative of the Chinese contractor informed the meeting that, due to security concerns, work could not be carried out at night and the government had permitted work from morning until 6:00 p.m. He further stated that approximately 15 kilometres of road would be opened for traffic within the next 15 days.
The contractor's representative said that no separate payment was being made to the contractor for safety measures; nevertheless, a substantial amount was being spent on safety arrangements and safety signboards. He added that 120 security personnel had been deployed at different locations.
At the meeting, the Commissioner directed the Motorway Police and National Highways and Motorway Police (NH and MP) to identify major accident-prone locations along the Moro-Ranipur section and make existing patrolling arrangements and traffic management more effective.
He also directed strict action against overspeeding, dangerous overtaking and lane violations. The concerned officials were further directed to immediately inform the district administration and NHA about any serious safety deficiencies at construction sites.