M-1 opens for traffic today: Chairman NHA
By Muhammad Ali Malik

ISLAMABAD—Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) Maj Gen Imtiaz Ahmed said on Monday that Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1) would be opened for all types of traffic on Tuesday (Oct 30).
Addressing a press conference here at NHA Headquarters, he said that President General Pervez Musharraf would inaugurate the mega project that has cost Rs 15 billion. He described the project as a source of pride for the NHA.
Islamabad-Burhan section and Rashakai-Charsadda section of M-1 had been opened for traffic in 1994 while the remaining three sections - Burhan-Swabi, Swabi-Rashakai and Charsadda-Peshawar sections — are now being opened for traffic.
The chairman said that the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) was one of the most important road projects of the country and a part of National Trade Corridor (NTC) and its quality construction remained top priority of the NHA. He said the M-1 had been completed by the Pakistani construction companies, marking a big achievement to make the country self-reliant in the field of road construction.
To a question, he said that some remaining works of the M-1 would be completed by June next year. He said that NHA and Bayinder were in litigation in a Turkish court and the exact cost of the project could be determined after the court decision. M-1 would provide faster and alternate route between Islamabad and Peshawar and cater to international traffic from Central Asian Republics, China and Afghanistan and link the ports and industrial areas of Pakistan. It will also help reduce the transportation costs ultimately benefiting the consumers, the NHA chairman said.
He said that the people of the adjacent areas including Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda and Peshawar would benefit from the communication artery as it would contribute to their economic development. The chairman said that M-1 completion would also reduce travel time to southern parts of the country for the people of Chitral, Dir and Swat.
He said that interchanges had been constructed at Burhan, Swabi, Rashakai, Charsadda, Fatehjang, Jhang Bahtar and Chhach near Hazro and 18 flyovers, 2 service areas, 5 rest areas and 556 culverts had been included in the project.
The 154 km Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) is a 6-lane motorway similar to the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2), and would help promote inter-provincial harmony, he said.