Eastbay Expressway to help Gwadar port play role as hub for international logistics: Zhao Lijian

Beijing: The newly inaugurated Eastbay Expressway project will help Gwadar port to play a better role as a hub for international logistics and boost the economic development in the region, said Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian Monday.

The other day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif attended the inauguration ceremony of the Eastbay Expressway, a US$ 153 million project in Gwadar.

This expressway will connect the Gwadar port and the national expressway of Pakistan and also extend the transportation for the locals to other places in Pakistan, the spokesperson said in response to a question asked by APP during his regular briefing held here at the International Press Center (IPC).

Zhao Lijian, who paid several visits to the Gwadar port and attended launching ceremony of the project during his posting as Deputy Head of Mission in the Chinese Embassy in Islamabad, expressed his pleasure over the completion of the project.

“When I was posted in Pakistan, I paid several visits to the Gwadar port. I also once attended the launching ceremony of the Gwadar Eastbay Express Project and I am glad to see the opening of this expressway”, he said.

He remarked that China-assisted project would help Gwadar port to better play its role as a hub for international logistics and boost the economic development in its neighbourhood. Zhao Lijian said that this project was an early harvest projects under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and also an important transport infrastructure and to promote regional connectivity.

“China will continue to work with Pakistan to ensure the projects are run efficiently so as to better promote regional integration and improve people’s well being”, he added.

The Eastbay Expressway project commenced on October 12, 2017 and was completed after 54 months of construction, becoming an important traffic link that connects Gwadar Port and its free zone with the national road networks, and providing Gwadar port with much-needed on-land access to international cargo distribution.

The expressway starts from China-Pakistan Friendship Avenue in Gwadar Port and converges with the existing Makran Coastal N10 Highway. It has a total length of 19.49KM, with 6-lane-embankment and 4-lane-pavement in each way and a design speed limit of 100km/h.