Pakistan : Post-Flood National Highways Rehabilitation Project

Transport / Road transport (non-urban)

The proposed rehabilitation project includes 212 kms of damaged highway sections and 33 damaged bridges located on the national highway network of Pakistan. It will restore critical

physical infrastructure to sustain livelihoods and access to markets, as well as build post disaster traffic management capacity in the National Highway Authority (NHA). The project will

contribute to the economic recovery of 2010 flood affected areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh provinces.

1. The 2010 floods were the worst in Pakistan's history, affecting 100,000 square kilometers and 20 million people (more than a tenth of the country's population). They resulted

in 1,800 deaths and caused an estimated $10 billion in total damage. Immediately after the floods subsided, the government started the early recovery and restoration of basic services, housing, and livelihoods. Basic transport infrastructure and irrigation facilities were also badly damaged in 80 of the country's 110 districts across Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. According to the damage and needs assessment report prepared by ADB and the World Bank in conjunction with federal and provincial government agencies, 793 km of national highways (7% of the national highway network) were identified as requiring immediate rehabilitation to ensure their stability and public safety.

2. In 2011, ADB approved the Flood Emergency Reconstruction Project in the amount of $650 million to assist the government in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of national

highways, provincial roads, irrigation and drainage, and flood protection infrastructure. The emergency reconstruction project became effective on 26 May 2011 and was closed on

25 May 2015. 344 km of national highway sections were completed when the loan was closed on 25 May 2015.

3. The government has not been able to secure funding for 212 km of damaged highway sections and 33 bridges, which should be rehabilitated immediately to avoid

further damage and safety hazard. These roads and bridges are the only transport links for the local population, which is being temporarily served through makeshift arrangements, such as Bailey bridges. ADB's post-flood assistance for the remaining 212 km of the damaged sections of the highways and 33 bridges will (i) expedite the economic and social recovery of the affected population from the floods and provide greater resilience to future floods, and (ii) ensure that the full development impact of the emergency reconstruction project is achieved and that ADB's intervention is effective. Apart from the recovery of damaged road infrastructure, the NHA's capacity to cope with such natural disasters and manage a quicker response for the early restoration of traffic and subsequent reconstruction and/or rehabilitation activities needs strengthening.

4. The rehabilitation project will restore critical physical infrastructure to sustain livelihoods and access to markets, as well as build capacity in the NHA by providing specialized training to its operations staff for the efficient management of traffic restoration and post-natural-disaster reconstruction activities.

Economic and social recovery in the affected areas of the 2010 floods

Efficient and safe movement of traffic on the national highways and efficient management of traffic restoration during emergencies

National highway network system (including bridges) repaired and rehabilitated

DMUs established and staff trained

Procurement of civil works contracts completed and civil work is ongoing. PMC is mobilized.

Not yet due.

During implementation of Loan 2742-PAK Flood Emergency Reconstruction Project, a LARP was prepared and implemented for N-95.

Land acquisition is not expected for the proposed sections of highways as it is limited to the existing rights-of-way (ROW). Proposed project is therefore assigned category B for IR.

The main stake holders of the project include local population of the flood affected areas, the public institutions (Ministry of Communication, National Highway Authority) and project beneficiaries including business community and traders, transport operators as well as passengers and the local community having their assets (landed and non-landed) along the project rights-of-way.

Focus group discussions, workshops, community mobilization and public consultations will be conducted with project stakeholders including the poor and vulnerable and any other excluded groups to take into account their concerns and needs related to environment and social safeguards including land acquisition, compensation and resettlement and other social issues concerning gender, HIV/AIDs, human trafficking and child labor etc. Any special needs of poor and vulnerable groups will be identified in LARPs and mitigation measures provided.

Any active CSOs/NGOs will be identified by and engaged in consultative process during project implementation by Executing Agency.

Meaningful public consultation with project stakeholders including poor and any excluded groups will be conducted prior to and during the project implementation to document their concerns related to compensation and resettlement and provide them adequate compensation and livelihood restoration assistance to prevent them from being impoverished.