ISLAMABAD Jun 19 (INP): Eastbay Expressway in Gwadar has turned into a road of technology, says a report published by China Economic Net (CEN) on Sunday

The 19.49km road, which starts from China-Pak Friendship Avenue in Gwadar Port and converges with the existing Makran Coastal N10 Highway, is opening a new chapter for Gwadar to become an international logistics hub. “For many people, the biggest concern when they come to Baluchistan is security, but we have put in place very tight security guards and round-the-clock protection by the Pakistan Army to ensure the security of transport, road, structure, and infrastructure”, said Colonel Rtd Naveed Ahmad Shami. The locals, too, are enjoying augmented protection from the project. In the past, when the monsoon season comes, sea waves could damage or even crush the houses by the sea. Now barrier boards have been installed and together with 4.34km anti-wave breast wall along the coast, they form the 4.34km revetment to protect the embankment from strikes of the tide. Also under protection are local fishermen. Catering to their needs, three bridges were incorporated into the project. “Fishermen have wide access to the sea and when they are not fishing, they can tow their boats ashore in time for maintenance to avoid being damaged by sea waves”, said Mr. Liu Fangtao, Gwadar Eastbay Expressway Project Manager of the undertaking China Communications Construction Company (CCCC). The influence of the project extends far beyond Gwadar. At peak, nearly 2000 Pakistani people found employment in this project. Many of them came from Sindh, Punjab and KPK. Here, they received training on specific skills and became engineers, translators, drivers, surveyors, operators, operators of drivers, excavators, graders, and rulers, masons, carpenters, steel fixers, etc.