Chairman China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority and SAPM on Information and Broadcasting Lt Gen (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa said despite the coronavirus pandemic, the progress of the multi-billion dollar CPEC project has not been hampered.
The assurance came from Asim Bajwa after some media outlets reported that the progress of the CPEC projects has suffered a little delay due to coronavirus pandemic.
Syed Zaheerul Islam the Commissioner of Hazara division has also said that China-Pak Economic Corridor section Mansehra-Thakot suffered a delay amid COVID-19.
On Monday, the commissioner said in a high-level meeting, “Ninety-five percent of work on the project has been completed. The Pakistan Army is extending foolproof security to the Chinese engineers and other project employees, who are working on the remaining five percent civil works, which include the installation of safety fences,”
The meeting was specially called to know the progress of the work on the CPEC project. According to the commissioner, unsafe and illegal entry points would be unplugged before the opening of the road to traffic that was established by the residents. He further said that the cooperation of the local communities will be sought so that Chinese and Pakistani companies may complete work in line with the prescribed standards.
Officials of the CPEC project told the meeting that onwards from Mansehra, authorities diverted 79-kilometer road from the 2nd-grade highways to the expressway in order to make it safe, many accidents have occurred on that section.
Moreover, many Chinese engineers and workers on vacations to celebrate New Year in their homeland did not report back due to pandemic coronavirus tempted delay of international flights. However, the installation of fences and other work is going well and the whole project is expected to be completed soon.
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