ISLAMABAD, Jan 08 (APP): The government has pledged timely completion of the Lahore-Sialkot-Kharian-Rawalpindi motorway, a key northbound corridor to ensure faster, safer and more economical connectivity between Punjab’s economic hubs and the federal capital.
Developed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, the project is planned as a modern, high-speed motorway designed to cut travel time, lower fuel use and reduce vehicle operating costs for commuters.
The first segment of the corridor, the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway (M-11), was completed and opened to traffic in March 2020. The 89-kilometre, six-lane controlled access motorway originates near the Kala Shah Kaku Interchange and terminates at Sambrial. Executed on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis, the project operates under a 25-year concession agreement signed on February 28, 2017 between the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the concessionaire, according to official documents.
Designed for a speed of 120 km/h, M-11 features seven interchanges, two fully equipped service areas—Ravi and Chenab—and a range of modern facilities including mosques, fuel stations, restaurants, trucker hotels, executive washrooms, parking areas and a trauma and rescue centre at Kala Shah Kaku.
The second section, Sialkot–Kharian Motorway (M-12), covering 69 kilometres, was awarded in September 2021. Construction commenced in October 2022 but was temporarily stalled in February 2024 after achieving around 15 percent physical progress, due to multiple unforeseen issues. Following deliberations by the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), the project has now been restructured as a six-lane motorway from the outset to ensure long-term capacity and viability.
The revised financing structure has been approved by the P3A Board, while the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has recommended the updated PC-I to the ECNEC for approval. The motorway will feature eight interchanges and two service areas.
Similarly, the Kharian–Rawalpindi Motorway (M-13), with a total length of 117 kilometres, has been restructured in accordance with SIFC directives issued in March 2025 and upgraded from a four-lane to a six-lane controlled access facility. The project features two twin-tube tunnels, extensive service roads, rest and service areas on both sides of the motorway, and eight interchanges linking major urban centres including Sarai Alamgir, Jhelum, Dina, Sohawa and Gujar Khan.
The revised PC-I for M-13 has been submitted to the Planning Commission and recommended by CDWP for ECNEC approval. Upon administrative clearance, NHA will initiate the PPP-based procurement process.
Officials said the complete Lahore–Sialkot–Kharian–Rawalpindi motorway corridor is expected to be operational within two and a half to three years, representing a significant addition to the national motorway network.
Officials further noted that upgrading the Sialkot–Rawalpindi section to a six-lane motorway will reduce the Lahore–Islamabad travel distance by approximately 100 kilometres and shorten travel time from three-and-a-half hours to about two-and-a-half hours, resulting in substantial fuel savings, improved traffic flow and enhanced road safety.
The government reiterated that the motorway corridor is being fast-tracked as a priority initiative, describing it as a game-changer for inter-city mobility and national connectivity.