| Gujrat: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has altered the alignment of the under-construction Sambrial-Kharian Motorway, an extension of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway (M-11), according to news published in the national dailies on July 14.
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The Irrigation Department raised an objection regarding the site plan for two bridges over the River Chenab connecting Gujrat and Sialkot districts. After this, the officials from local administration and the NHA have confirmed the change in the site plan. The model study of the Chenab bridges revealed that the previous alignment could potentially cause damage to the Marala Headworks, Sialkot Airport, and the Motorway bridges over the Chenab.
The revised plan relocates the bridge construction site at least 5-kilometre downstream from its original location, resulting in a change in the alignment in Sambrial and Gujrat tehsils of Sialkot and Gujrat districts, respectively.
According to an official from the Gujrat administration (whose name was not disclosed), the new bridges will be constructed parallel to the existing Shahbazpur Bridge near Jalalpur Jattan, while the motorway route will pass close to the Sialkot Airport.
The altered site plan affects approximately 34-kilometre in Gujrat and Sambrial tehsils out of the total 69-kilometre section of the Motorway. Construction work has been underway for the past year on a 35-kilometre stretch in Gujrat and Kharian tehsils.
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As a result of the alignment change, the land acquisition plan for at least 17 out of 28 villages in Gujrat tehsil and around 12 out of 14 villages in Sambrial will also need to be revised. The proposed site for the Jalalpur Jattan interchange has also been modified due to the realignment. |
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