KARACHI: The Sindh government and the federal government have reached an agreement to construct the M6 Motorway, opting for a route from Karachi to Sukkur instead of starting from Hyderabad to Sukkur.
During a meeting at the Chief Minister’s House, officials discussed the potential for the motorway’s construction to be undertaken through a public-private partnership (PPP) or a consortium formed by both provincial and federal governments.
The meeting was attended by key figures including Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, CM’s Secretary Raheem Shaikh, Secretary Works Mohammad Ali Shaikh, Federal Communication Secretary Ali Sher Mehsud, NHA Chairman Shaharyar Sultan, Director Hassan Shah, Member NHA Sindh Zone Parkash Lehano, and Member West Zone Basharat.
The proposed Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway will span 306 kilometers and consist of a six-lane, access-controlled highway designed for high-speed toll road facilities aimed at enhancing efficient and safe transportation from Hyderabad to Naro Canal.
It was noted that a previous PPP agreement for the M6 construction was signed with a private consortium in December 2022, but work could not commence for unspecified reasons, leading to the cancellation of the partnership.
During the discussions, a federal minister suggested starting the M6 from Karachi to Sukkur via Hyderabad to better accommodate port traffic, a proposal that was agreed upon by the Chief Minister, who also explored the construction modalities.
Another proposal involved forming a consortium between the federal and provincial governments for the M6 project on an equal partnership basis. CM Shah stated that his team would review this proposal and respond to the federal ministry.
Furthermore, the Chief Minister requested approval for the handover of the Lyari Expressway, which is set to be upgraded by the Sindh government within six months to allow heavy traffic.
CM Shah also highlighted the delay in completing the 90-km road from Gharo to Keti Bundar, which was initiated in 2015 and remains unfinished after 15 years.
