Upgradation of N70 National Highway (Multan-Qila Saifullah) at Girdu Hills near Fort Monroe in DG Khan started in late 2016.

The road from Multan to Qila Saifullah is being improved and widened to link it up with the road network under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The project is to be executed in three phases at a cost of Rs23 billion.

The first phase of ‘improvement’ of N-70 (national highway) commenced with the funding of Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA).

Starting from Rakhi Gaaj-Khar-Bewata, the project aims to make the hilly portion of the road wide and safe for Gwadar-bound cargo traffic with the installation of eight steel bridges.

Uniqueness of the project is that it includes 1-km-long steel bridge, the very first of its kind being introduced in Pakistan.

The hilly portion of N-70, which was constructed in the late 19th century by the British engineers.

It had seven difficult turns to negotiate to climb up the high mountain of Girdo to reach For Munro or Bewata.

33-kilometre long tough hilly portion of N-70 would be widened and improved with installation of eight steel bridges having a total length of 1.5 kilometre.

The Japanese engineering company Japanese Taisei Corporation, which had made Kohat tunnel is working on this project.