The M-1 motorway or the Islamabad–Peshawar Motorway () is an east–west motorway in Pakistan, connecting Peshawar to Islamabad–Rawalpindi.
The motorway was constructed during President Pervez Musharraf's rule at a cost of Rs. 13 billion (equivalent to US$ million in ), and was opened in October 2007. It spans , with in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in Punjab. National Highways & Motorway Police is responsible for maintaining law & order on M-1 motorway.
History
Work on M-1 was started during Nawaz Sharif's tenure in 1997, and the contract was initially awarded to Turkish company Bayindir. The preliminary and detailed design was done primarily by the Pakistani consultant group ECIL by this time. However, the work stopped after his government was dismissed by Army Chief Pervez Musharraf in October 1999. Progress remained very slow and not much work was done between 1999 and 2003.
Work restarted in 2003 after the contract was re-awarded to a consortium PMC-JV (which concluded of a joint venture of domestic firms including SKB, ZKB, NLC and FWO) which had built and completed the M-1 during President Pervez Musharraf's tenure. The consultancy and design work was re-awarded to a joint venture named PMC (Pakistan Motorway Consultants) comprising ECIL, A.A Associates and Engineering Associates (EA) - all three of them being based in Pakistan. A plan was made to connect the existing M-2 motorway with the Torkham border. In 2004, the Senate body was briefed on a plan to connect Gwadar Port with the existing motorway infrastructure. Hence, it highlighted importance of M-1 motorway in this context.
It was completed at a cost of Rs. 13 billion, and was inaugurated by President Pervez Musharraf on 30 October 2007.
New Toll Plaza In 2016, the old toll plaza in Srinagar Highway was demolished with a new toll plaza made. This toll plaza was still relatively small. But soon, another new, bigger toll plaza was made for M-1. The old toll plaza in Srinagar Highway was demolished due to high traffic and volume.
Route
The M-1 originates northeast of Peshawar at the junction with the Peshawar Ring Road. It then crosses over the Kabul River in an eastern direction passing the cities of Charsadda, Risalpur, Swabi, and Rashakai before crossing the Indus River. The M-1 leaves Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and enters into Punjab province after crossing the Indus River, where it passes through Attock, Burhan, and Hasan Abdal. The M-1 terminates near Islamabad as a continuation of the M-2 motorway.
The whole stretch of the M-1 consists of six lanes, with a number of rest stops along the route. The M-1 has 14 interchanges - at Airport Link Road, Islamabad, AWT/ Sanjiani/ Paswal, Burma Bhatar, Burhan (Hassan Abadal/ Kamra), Hazara Expressway (E-35), Ghazi, Chachh, Sawabi, Misri Banda, Rashakai, Charsadda, the Peshawar Northern Bypass and Peshawar Ring Road. At Brahma Bahtar Interchange, the Brahma Bahtar-Yarik Motorway leads towards Dera Ismail Khan.
There are three major bridges along the route along the Haro, Indus and Kabul rivers, 18 flyovers, 27 small bridges, 137 underpasses and 571 culverts. 10 service areas (five on the each side of the motorway) are present along the route. The route also travels over the Ghazi Barotha canal that provides water to the Ghazi-Barotha Hydropower Project.
Junctions and interchanges
M-1 Motorway JunctionsWest bound exitsJunctionEast bound exitsContinues as Peshawar Ring Road Peshawar Ring Road Start of motorway to Peshawar-Charsadda Road Peshawar Northern Bypass to Chamkiani & N-5 National Highway to Charsadda & KP Highway S-1 KP Highway S-9 to Nowshera to Mardan, Rashakai & N-95 National Highway N-45 National Highway to Risalpurto WaliExit 5 - Walito Walito M-16Exit 6 - M-16to Chakdara to Swabi, Topi Exit 7 - Swabi to Jehangirato ChachExit 8 - Chachto Chach to Ghorghushti Exit 9 - Ghazi to Lawrencepurto M-15Exit 10 - M-15to M-15 to Hasan Abdal & N-35 National Highway Exit 11 - N-5 to Burhan, Attockto Brahma BahtarExit 12 - Brahma Bahtarto Brahma Bahtarto SangjaniExit 13 - AWT & Sangjani-Peswalto Peswalto M-14Exit 14 - M-14to M-14 to Taxila/Wah Cantt Exit 15 - Fateh Jang to Fateh Jang to Rawalpindi, Islamabad Exit 16 - Rawalpindi & Islamabad to Islamabad International AirportContinues as M-2
See also Motorways of Pakistan National Highways of Pakistan Transport in Pakistan National Highway Authority
References
External links