The construction of Gwadar Eastbay Expressway Phase II, stretching from the New Gwadar International Airport (NGIA) to Gwadar Port, has officially received approval during the 8th Joint Working Group (JWG) meeting on Gwadar under CPEC, held last week. This critical infrastructure project is set to enhance Gwadar’s role as a key regional logistics hub.
Under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP), the federal government has allocated Rs 200 million for the initial development, while the total estimated cost of the project is Rs 30.13 billion. Approximately 95 per cent of this funding will come through a Chinese grant-in-aid under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) has been contracted to carry out the construction.
Phase II of the expressway will span 13.8 kilometres and feature a six-lane dual carriageway, including four paved lanes. It will directly connect NGIA with the existing Eastbay Expressway, facilitating efficient, high-speed cargo transportation to Gwadar Port. The project also includes essential infrastructure such as toll plazas, drainage systems, lighting, fencing, and security towers to ensure smooth operations and safety.
This new phase follows the completion of Eastbay Expressway Phase I, which was inaugurated on June 3, 2022. Phase I covers a 19-kilometre six-lane road, serving as the main traffic artery for Gwadar Port. It links the port and its Free Zones with the Makran Coastal Highway (N-10) and Motorway 8, the western route of CPEC, enabling seamless transport of import, export, and transit goods to the Khunjerab border with China. Approved by ECNEC in January 2015 and constructed under a contract signed in September 2017 between the Gwadar Port Authority and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), Phase I was completed at USD 168 million.
The approval and development of Phase II marks a significant advancement in strengthening Gwadar’s logistical capacity and supporting Pakistan’s strategic ambitions under CPEC to transform Gwadar into a major economic and trade hub in the region.
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