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Kachhi Canal and N-70 Highway Projects to Boost Pakistan's Balochistan
East-West infrastructure projects in Pakistan pose unique challenges. Sending hundreds of cusecs of water up more than a mile from the River Indus to Balochistan via Kachhi canal is one of these challenges. Another challenge is to improve and expand national east-west highways like N-70. These recently completed infrastructure projects linking South Punjab with Balochistan will boost agriculture and transportation sectors and bring economic benefits to Pakistanis living in the country's least developed areas.
Kachhi Canal Project:
Recently completed 400 kilometers in phase 1 of 500 kilometer long Kachhi Canal is now the longest irrigation canal in Pakistan. It stretches from the plains of South Punjab to the heights of eastern Balochistan where it will eventually irrigate over 700,000 acres of arid land, according to WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority).
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Kachhi Canal Pakistan |
Part of Kachhi canal is made up of 56 inch diameter pipeline that will pump 120 cusecs (cubic feet per sec) of Indus water 7,000 feet above sea level across Sulaiman mountain range. This feat of engineering made possible by NESPAK (National Engineering Services of Pakistan), a consulting firm that I worked for 3 years in mid-1970s.
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Kachhi Canal Project Phases |
National Highway N-70:
National highway N-70 runs from Multan in Punjab to the town of Qilla Saifullah via Dera Ghazi Khan, and Loralai in Balochistan province. It requires traversing 11,500 feet high Sulaiman mountains, the southern extension of Hindu Kush mountain range. It has recently been completed.
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N-70 Highway Pakistan |
The condition of old British colonial era N-70 national highway was very poor. In particular, the hilly sections of the road suffered from frequent rock falls and debris and occasional land slides from the steep mountain side. It had narrow road width, coupled with hair-pin bends and relatively steep slope. Trucks pulling containers were forced to take alternative route via N-65 highway to Quetta. The solution was to use seven steel bridges that were 11.5 kilometers in length. The project was completed at a cost of $142 million with the assistance of JICA, Japan's international aid agency.
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| Steel Bridges At Fort Monroe on N70 Highway |
Summary:
Recently completed infrastructure projects linking South Punjab with Balochistan will boost agriculture and transportation sectors and the economy in Pakistan's least developed areas. Kachhi canal will irrigate hundreds of thousands of acres of arid land while improvement and widening of N-70 east-west national highway will help movement of goods and people to integrate remote areas with the national economy.
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Comment by Riaz Haq 2 hours ago
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USF Connects 16.2m People, Deploys 10,400km OFC in Five Years.
The projects expanded broadband access across thousands of underserved areas. Fibre deployment also connected 947 previously unserved
https://www.techjuice.pk/usf-connects-16-2m-people-deploys-10400km-...
The Universal Service Fund (USF) has expanded voice and broadband access to more than 16.2 million people. The projects covered over 9,400 underserved and unserved mauzas during the last five fiscal years.
The figures were shared by Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja. She provided the details in a written reply to the National Assembly.
During FY2022-26, USF projects delivered voice and broadband data services across more than 9,400 mauzas. The programme also helped bring broadband to areas where telecom operators lacked a strong business case.
USF also expanded coverage along more than 1,000 kilometres of unserved roads. These included sections of national highways and motorways. The projects also covered eight tourist destinations and around 50 kilometres of access routes.
The fund deployed more than 10,400 kilometres of optic fibre cable (OFC) during the same five-year period. This work connected 947 unserved tehsil headquarters, union councils and towns.
Since its launch, USF has reached more than 38.4 million people across over 22,100 mauzas. It has also covered more than 2,500 kilometres of previously unserved road segments.
The fund has connected eight tourist destinations and about 50 kilometres of access routes. Its total OFC deployment has also crossed 18,300 kilometres since inception.
USF was established under Section 33(A)(1) of the Pakistan Telecommunication (Re-organization) Act, 1996. Its main goal is to extend telecom services to rural, remote and underserved communities.
The programme initially focused on voice and basic data services through 2G networks. It later expanded to high-speed broadband through 3G and 4G networks.
The government said better connectivity is also supporting education, healthcare and emergency services. It is helping improve financial inclusion, e-governance and access to economic opportunities.
The ministry said USF remains important in areas where commercial telecom deployment is difficult. It will continue targeting unserved and underserved communities through broadband and fibre projects.
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