The National Highways Authority (NHA) has invited expressions of interest in building a new motorway from Pindi Bhattian to Faisalabad. The road will be 52 kilometres long and will cost an estimated Rs 3,500 million ($86.9 million).

The NHA says that bids for the work may be on a contractor's financing basis, with the contractor raising 100 per cent of the cost. Repayment would be in 21 bi-annual payments beginning one year after operation of the motorway starts. Alternatively, the project could be implemented on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) basis. The NHA will draw up a list of prequalified companies before issuing tender documents (see Tenders).

The new motorway is part of an extensive road building programme, which the NHA plans to implement on a BOT basis. Expressions of interest in eight roads and a rail bridge are due to be submitted by 31 May. Bids from four prequalified groups for the construction of the Islamabad-Rawalpindi expressway are due by 31 July (MEED 2:5:97).