i NEWS PAK-CHINA

46 companies registered in Gwadar with investment of $450 millionBreaking

August 16, 2022

Forty-six companies have registered in Gwadar Free Zone with a total investment of $450 million. This was stated by Ms. Pang Chunxue, Charge d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan on Friday while addressing the inauguration ceremony of Eastbay Expressway, a $ 153 million project in Gwadar, says a report carried by Gwadar Pro. Highlighting the social welfare work undertaken here under CPEC, she said China-funded vocational institute has begun operating with Chinese government scholarships awarded to top students from Gwadar. Faqeer Middle School has enabled the students to go to school without going for miles.
 
The Gwadar hospital will expand the number of bed from 50 to 150. The 3,000 solar panel is being installed for needed households of water to ease power shortage, the seawater dissemination power inaugurated today will supply 5,000 tons of fresh water per day upon completion in 2023. Tree planting has turned the area greener. “We are confident that a smart and modern Gwadar will emerge to benefit the local friends”, she said.

The Eastbay Expressway project commenced on 12th Oct. 2017 and was completed on 10th April 2022 after 54 months of construction, becoming an important traffic link that connects Gwadar Port and its free zone with the national road networks, and providing Gwadar Port with much-needed on-land access to international cargo distribution.

The expressway starts from China-Pak Friendship Avenue in Gwadar Port and converges with the existing Makran Coastal N10 Highway. The expressway has a total length of 19.49Km, with 6-lane-embankment and 4-lane-pavement in each way and a design speed limit of 100km/h.

In an exclusive interview with staff from China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), which undertakes the project, Gwadar Pro was told that the Eastbay Expressway was constructed in various geographic conditions such as coast, mountain, etc. In addition to the road, cofferdam, bridges, and culverts, pavement, works for reclamation, soft ground treatment, excavation, embankment, revetment, drainage and protection, traffic safety and ancillary are also part of the project.

In terms of security, a Leading Group for Emergency Responses and Terrorism Events has been set up for the project. Security augmentation measures include security facilities and enablers, security inspection, training, drills on terrorism, and emergency responding.

Apart from infrastructure construction, the undertaking company, is also engaged in social responsibility activities such as donations to Faqeer Primary School, Government Primary School Gazrwan Gwadar, and Gwadar Hospital, provision of living necessaries to the local people in need and fishing net to fishermen communities, etc.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP