NHA Policy: Capital Smart City Dedicated Interchange

National Highway Authority (NHA) has unveiled latest policy that addresses the access issue of private entities including several residential and commercial ventures from Controlled Access Road Networks. As per new policy of NHA, private housing societies adjacent to Motorways, Highways, expressways or link roads can build their own interchanges. This policy applicable all over the country.

Previously, these tasks were approved by Public Sector Development Program (PSDP). Due to lack of funds, it’s now transferred to NHA.

Criteria for Public Entities

The entities are eligible to have dedicated interchanges if

• Housing schemes cover 4000 Kanals area
• Educational/Medical cities cover 2000 Kanals area
• Industrial/Factory outlets cover 2800 Kanals area
• Theme Parks cover 1600 Kanals area

Salient points of this Policy

Main chunks of this new policy includes

• An interchange must be built at a distance of 10 Km
• Developers are bound to attain NOC from NHA regarding the design of interchange
• Land for interchange will be provided by developers themselves
• Developers themselves would bear the cost for construction of interchange
• Once completed, its ownership will be transferred to NHA
• NHA will be responsible for maintenance and management of interchange

Its also announced that NHA will be responsible to collect Toll Tax. If maintenance or managing cost estimated to be higher than toll tax amount, then developers will compensate NHA. Furthermore, developers are also bound to deposit Non-Refundable processing fee of Rs. 5 Million to authority, NHA. Other NOC charges are also applicable.

NHA

National Highway Authority was came into being in 1991. It was established under Act of Parliament. This body is responsible to look after national highways in terms of

• Planning
• Development
• Operation
• Repair
• Maintenance

Presently, 39 controlled access networks are under control of NHA. 4.6% (12,131 Km) of total country’s road network (263,775 Km) is under NHA control. It seeks to provide safest, advance and competent transportation service. It is actually responsible for regulating the backbone, National Highways, of Pakistan.

Capital Smart City

Capital Smart City is an upscale and most advance residential venture. It is Pakistan’s first smart city while 23^rd in the world. Determined to ensure convenient and lavish lifestyle, finest facilities and luxury amenities planned  at Capital Smart City. Strong team of developers like HRL FDHL, SJ and many other  backing this project.

In order to provide hustle free access, dedicated interchange  already announced from Rawalpindi Ring Road. As this mega housing scheme  sprawled over more than area of 45000 Kanals. It will allows residents of Capital Smart City Islamabad to have their own dedicated route from Motorway.

Furthermore, according to Aslam Malik, COO of Habib Rafiq (Pvt) Limited, 2 NOC is already under process in RDA for dedicated interchange from Motorway. It was announced in recent “Executive Block Launching Ceremony. The construction work of interchange will start by June 2020. Its speculated to be completed in 6 months.