The present government, with a view to bring the coastal belt's economy at par with other parts of Pakistan and alleviate poverty, decided to launch several mega projects in the area, developing Gwadar as another important port, and center of trade and commerce, besides other projects in fishery, power and industrial sectors.
However, benefits of these mega development projects could not be fully realised in the absence of a credible communication link of coastal areas with other parts of the country, especially Karachi.
A historical breakthrough was made in year 2000, when Government of President General Pervez Musharraf decided to develop Mekran Coastal Highway having international specifications, linking Lyari on the Karachi-Quetta Highway (N-25) with Ormara, Pasni, Gwadar and terminating at Gabd near Pak-Iran border.
A National Highway Authority (NHA) project, this highway is nearly 532 kms long and is being constructed in three different sections.
It was decided to assign Lyari - Ormara (243 Kms) and Gwadar - Pasni (132.5 Kms) sections to Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) for speedy and quality output. The inhospitable terrain, comprising low but vertical hills, coupled with extreme climate, imposed severe constraints in undertaking any development project in the area.
Main difficulties being non-availability of potable water, scarcity of local construction material, hot and dry weather, flash floods during monsoons, non-availability of local manpower, high wear and tear of vehicles and machinery, long logistic support line ie from Karachi and severe health hazards especially due to sand flies.
President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf performed the groundbreaking ceremony of Lyari - Ormara Section (243 kms) on 1 July 2000. The highway has been designed to have 7.3 metre wide carriageway with 3 metre wide shoulders. The pavement structure is 100 mm thick granular sub base, 150 mm aggregate base, with 50 mm asphalt wearing course.
In view of the flash floods in the area, a large number of drainage structures have been provided, including 30 bridges, 706 culverts of varying sizes and 650 causeways. The longest bridge of the highway is on River Hingol having 16 spans, each measuring 25 metres.
FWO deployed and spread out maximum men and machinery resources on the project in line with its work traditions. The road embankment in the 120 kms long section Lyari. Aghor (near Hingol River), which is prone to flash floods generated in the Mekran Coast Range, was raised to several metres height increasing highway's base width up to 30 metres.
Work was simultaneously started between River Hingol and hills of Buzi and Jikki, a moonlink landscape with high mud cliffs, which were cut deploying heavy machinery achieving easier gradients. In ribs like rocky formation of the Buzi hills, rock cutting employing rock breakers, drilling and blasting resulted in fine finished box cuts.
A 32 kms long diversion, involving new alignment, was also constructed between Hingol River and Rasmalan. FWO, with its well thought out work schedule and hard inputs completed this section in June 2003, ahead of its stipulated completion date.
The groundbreaking ceremony of the 132 kms long Gwadar-Pasni section of Mekran Coastal Highway was performed by President General Pervez Musharraf on 17 August 2001 whereas the work was commenced in February 2002. The area comprises coastal plains with intrusions of rocky hills with inhospitable work environments similar to that of Lyari-Ormara section. The highway specifications are same as that of Lyari-Ormara section, except that carriageway has 2 metres wide shoulders and its subbase is 270 mm thick.
A large number of drainage structures have been provided including 15 bridges and 421 culverts to provide unhindered flow to flash floods. Large quantities of plant and machinery were deployed on this section changing earth's face by tearing down rocks, and making various new alignments to straighten the highway. FWO, in keeping with its traditional zeal, determination, hard work and quality inputs completed this section in the stipulated time i.e. February 2004.
Mekran Coastal Highway remained a challenging undertaking, as soon after completion of Lyari-Ormara section a rare natural calamity struck in July 2003. Three spells of unprecedented heavy rains, occurring in July with total of 335 mm of rainfall, played havoc to the area.
The floodwaters caused damage to the highway between kms 3 and 24, resulting in erosion of shoulders and a portion of asphalt carpeting. However, all structures including 23 bridges and 710 culverts withstood the thrust of water and remained in tact.
FWO undertook repairs of the damaged road portions immediately besides completing construction of additional structure as approved by NHA. Completion of Mekran Coastal Highway will serve as a catalyst in fully exploiting Balochistan's riches of marine resources and benefits of the mega projects, opening new vistas of economic activities and prosperity in this remote region, profoundly affecting its face and fate.
Role of FWO in realising this cherished dream against odds, challenges and rigours of the inhospitable terrain and hazardous work environments, will remain an indelible chapter in the history of economic development and growth of Pakistan.