The 155 km long Motorway M1 between Islamabad and Peshawar in now open for traffic in its entirety. The 117 km portion of it got inaugurated on October 30, 2007.
M1‘s construction work was initially started in the year 1993 by a Turkish company Bayindar but it left the work incomplete in 1997. The contract was the re-awarded to a consortium called PMC-JV in 2003.
The speed limit on M1 is 120 kmph and it is completed at a cost of Rupees 16 bn.
M1 has 9 interchanges at Fatehjang, Bhatar, Burhan, Rashaki, Swabi, Chachh (under construction), Charsadda, Northern Bypass and Ring road on N-5. There are 3 major bridges on Haro, Indus and Kabul rivers, 18 flyovers, 27 other bridges, 137 underpasses and 571 culverts. 10 services areas— five on the each side of the motorway— would be provided out of which, four mini service areas at km-4 and km-106 have been completed. Six main service areas at Haro bridge, Indus River and Kabul River will start functioning after some time as they are still under constructions
The proposed Pakistan Motorway project is approximately 3000 km long network of access controlled, signal free highways. With the inauguration of M1, 768 km of this network is now operational. Following is the complete list of motorway sections planned and operational in Pakistan.
M1: Peshawar – Islamabad : 155 km (6 Lane, Access Controlled, Operational)
M2: Islamabad – Lahore: 367 km (6 Lane, Access Controlled, Operational)
M3: Pindi Bhattian – Faisalabad: 53 km (4 Lane, Access Controlled, Operational)
M4: Faisalabad – Multan: 243 km (proposed 4 Lane)
M5: Multan – Dera Ghazi Khan: 65 km (proposed 4 Lane)
M6: Dera Ghazi Khan – Rato Dero: 450 km (proposed 4 Lane)
M7: Rato Dero – Karachi: 303 km (proposed 2 Lane)
M8: Gawadar – Ratodero: 1072 km (under construction, 2 Lane road completed and operational)
M9: Karachi – Hyderabad: 136 km (4 Lane, Access Controlled, Operational, 6 Lanes planned)
M10: Karachi Northern Bypass: 57 km (6 Lane, Access Controlled, Operational)
Shahrah-e-Sanat Lahore- Sialkot: 101 km (under construction)
TOTAL : 3002 km
Sunset Over M1
Following photo was taken on October 4, 2008 and is courtesy of Anjum Riaz at APP. It shows sunset on M1.
Related ATP Posts:
1. Traveling on the N5: Part I
2. Traveling on the N5: Part II
3. Traveling on the N5: Part III
Motorway is an amazing achievement. Thanks to Nawaz Sharif who initiated it despite major opposition. Now the M-1, M-2 and M-3 has set the standard for road network & transport quality throughout Pakistan. Thanks also to President Musharraf for continuing this vision. I cannot wait for the day when I would be able to drive from Islamabad to Karachi on the Motorway. Leave in the morning and by nightfall, you’d be in Karachi enjoying the Arabian Sea breeze. Indeed a remarkable achievement for Pakistan. Motorway is indeed a tribute to ALL Pakistanis.
I am looking forward to be taking this path…
now without kidney-stone- and gallbladder-stone threatening to accompany the stones on the sidepaths….
Mubarique to all users of cars from Audi Q to “three-wheeled-Vespers”.
Alhamdullilah! Finally after 14 years this highway is complete. It should have never taken so long but corruption, poor management and litigation made it so, but thank God it is now complete.
Congratulations to my Pakistani brethren.
Owais:
I just had the opportunity to travel on this new motorway section from Islamabad to Hasan Abdal. It is just awesome and invigorating ride. The mountain ridges along the way are breathtaking. My curiosity took me under the new Indus Motorway Bridge via Attock-Ghazi back roads. At this point the river is very wide and the white colored high bridge against the blue and gray backdrop is a sight to be seen. From the old Attock Bridge to this new Motorway Bridge is a long way coming. Thank you for this timely post.
Other than paying puny transit fee what else is that India would be willing to do in return for Pakistan for the transit facilities provided by the later. Would she be willing remove her one million strong armed forces posted along Pakistani border.
Dude, you’re more obsessed with India’s (supposed) obsession with Pakistan than your own welfare. You’re living in days past. The world has moved on. If you haven’t noticed, Pakistan does not need the Indian one million string armed forces or the spooks in Zahedan, Balochistan etc. to create problems for it. It’s doing that pretty successfully all by itself!