M2 motorway (Pakistan)

M-2
Route information
Part of
Maintained by National Highway Authority
Length: 375 km (233 mi)
Existed: 1992 – present
History: Completed in 1997
Major junctions
North end: Rawalpindi/Islamabad
  M3 motorway (Pakistan)
South end: Lahore
Location
Major cities: Chakwal
Kalar Kahar
Bhalwal
Pindi Bhattian
Sheikhupura
Highway system
Roads in Pakistan

The M2 (Urdu: موٹروے 2‎) is a North-South motorway in Pakistan, connecting Rawalpindi/Islamabad to Lahore. The motorway is 375 km long and located entirely in Punjab. It passes through Kala Shah Kaku, Sheikhupura, Khanqah Dogran,Kot Sarwar, Pindi Bhattian, Salem, Lilla, Kot Momin, Kallar Kahar, Balksar, Nila Dulha and Chakri before ending just outside the twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad. At Junction of M2 and M1 there is an interchange which on one side connect Islamabad/Rawalpindi through an expressway of 8km long, and the new Islamabad international airport through the other side of junction. It then continues on to eventually become the M1 motorway linking the twin cities with Peshawar. The M-2 crosses the junction of the M3 (to Faisalabad) at Pindi Bhattian. It is part of Pakistan's Motorway Network. Chaudhary Ghias Mela recently inaugurated the Sial More interchange which exits at Sial More and provides an alternate route to Sargodha.

One of the most expensive motorways in Asia, it has the highest pillared-bridge in Asia (at the Khewra Salt Range)The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has used the M2 motorway as a runway on two occasions: for the first time in 2000 when it landed an F-7P fighter, a Super Mushak trainer and a C-130 and, again, in 2010. On the last occasion, the PAF used a runway section on the M2 motorway on 2 April 2010 to land, refuel and take-off two jet fighters, a Mirage III and an F-7P, during its Highmark 2010 exercise.

The whole motorway after a long period of 15 years renovated and recarpeted by Frontier Works Organization. New tolls plazas are installed on every interchanges with the new and latest e-tag system. The formal Miles board are changed to digital boards at a lots of places.

There are ten service and rest areas on both sides of the whole motorway, having facilities of Insta fueling, Insta Carwash, Insta car repair and restaurants of food and coffee like KFC, McDonald's, Gloria Jeans coffee and others. [1]

Route

The M-2 starts to the west of Lahore, at the Thokar Niaz Baig junction of N-5 (National Highway No. 5). Once it crosses the Ravi River, it diverges from the N-5 (also known as GT or Grand Trunk Road) and heads west towards Sheikhupura. After passing the Sheikhupura Interchange Khanqah Dogran Interchange comes at a distance of 36 km from the Sheikhupura Interchange. After once at Pindi Bhattian, it crosses the M3 junction and turns north-west. It continues all the way to Kallar Kahar, where it enters the Salt Ranges. Once past the Salt Ranges, the M-2 turns north and ends just west of Rawalpindi at the junction between the Islamabad Link Road and the M1. The whole stretch of the M-2 consists of 6 lanes, and there are a number of rest areas along the route, with washroom and eating facilities. The M2 is a motorway in Punjab province, Pakistan. It is 367 km long and begins in Lahore. It then passes through Sheikhupura, Pindi Bhattian, Kot Momin, Salem, bhera, Lilla, Kallar Kahar, Balksar, and Chakri before ending just outside the twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It then continues on to eventually become the M1 motorway linking the twin cities with Peshawar.

Interchanges

Lahore-Islamabad Motorway
Interchange East Exit West Exit
NO Cities,Roads NO Cities,Roads
M2 Zero Point, Lahore 1 Thokar Niaz Beg, Lahore Thokar Niaz Beg, Lahore
Babu Sabu Interchange 2 Babu Sabu, City center, Chowk Yatim Khana, Lahore Ring Road, Distt. Courts Babu Sabu, City center, Chowk Yatim Khana, Lahore Ring Road, Distt. Courts
Faiz Pure Interchange 3 Shahdra Town and Sharq Pure, Nakana Sahib and Jardanwala
Kot Abdul Malik Interchange 4 Sheikhupura Side Lahore Side
Kala Shah Kaku Interchange 5 Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore Link Road and Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore Link Road and N-5
Sheikhupura Interchange 6 Gujranwala and Shahkot
Hiran Minar Interchange 7 Sheikhupura Jandiala Sher Khan
Khanqah Dogran Interchange 8 Hafizabad Khanqah Dogran
Sukheki Interchange 9 Hafizabad Sukheki
Motorway M-3 Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad 10 Faisalabd Gojra, Toba Tek Singh, Shorkot, Khanewal Faisalabd Gojra, Toba Tek Singh, Shorkot, Khanewal
Pindi Bhattian Interchange 11 Hafizabad, Gujranwala and Pindi Bhattian, Chiniot and Jhang
Makhdoom Interchange 12 Gujrat and Sial More and Sargodha
Kot Momin Interchange 13 Mela Bhabra Mela Bhabra
Saalam Interchange 14 Bhera, Malakwal, Sarai Alamgir, Kharian and Shahpure Saddar and Khaushab
Lilla Sharif Interchange 15 Pind Dadan Khan, Khewra, Jhelum and Lilla Sharif, Khaushab
Kallar Kahar Interchange 16 Kallar Kahar, | Choa Saidan Shah, Khewra Salt Mine
Balkasar Interchange 17 Balkassar, Talagang,Lawa, Mianwali, Pindi Gheb, Jand, Chakwal, Sohawa, Mandra
Neelah Dullah Interchange M2 18 Chakwal, Dullah and Bhagwal Neelah
Chakri Interchange 19 Chakri, Rawalpindi and Chakri, Rawalpindi and
M2-M1 Junction, Islamabd 20 Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Islamabad Motorways Link Road, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Islamabad Motorways Link Road, N-5

History

The M-2 was conceived by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his first term(1990–1993) and later inaugurated on November 26, 1997,[2] during his second term. In late 2006, upgrades were made to the portion of the M-2 passing through the Salt Ranges due to increasing complaints of drivers. The upgrades included better marking of the road lines and increased size of road signs for easy visibility.

1. M2 Zero Point, Lahore Thokar Niaz Beg, Lahore

2. Babu Sabu Interchange Eastern Exit to Babu Sabu, City center, Chowk Yatim Khana, Lahore Ring Road, Distt. Courts

3. Faiz Pure Interchange Eastern Exit to Shahdra Town and N-5 Western Exit to Sharq Pure, Nakana Sahib and Jardanwala

4. Kot Abdul Malik Interchange

Exit at Sheikhupura Side and Lahore Side

5. Kala Shah Kaku Interchange Eastern Exit to Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore Link Road and N-5

6. Sheikhupura Interchange Eastern Exit to Gujranwala and N-5 Western Exit to Sheikhupura and Shahkot

7. Khanqah Dogran Interchange Eastern Exit to Hafizabad Western Exit to Khanqah Dogran

8. Sukheki Interchange Eastern Exit to Hafizabad Western Exit to Sukheki

9. Motorway M-3 Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad Western Exit to Faisalabad

10. Pindi Bhattian Interchange Eastern Exit to Hafizabad, Gujranwala and N-5 Western Exit to Pindi Bhattian, Chiniot and Jhang

11. Makhdoom Interchange Eastern Exit to Gujrat and N-5 Western Exit to Sial More and Sargodha

12. Kot Momin Interchange Eastern Exit to Mela Bhabra

13. Saalam Interchange Eastern Exit to Mandi Bahauddin, Phalia, Gujrat and N-5 Western Exit to Saalam, Bhalwal and Sargodha

14. Bhera Interchange Eastern Exit to Bhera, Malakwal, Sarai Alamgir, Kharian and N-5 Western Exit to Shahpure Saddar and Khaushab

13. Lilla Sharif Interchange Eastern Exit to Pind Dadan Khan, Khewra, Jhelum and N-5 Western Exit to Lilla Sharif, Khaushab

14. Kallar Kahar Interchange Eastern Exit to Chakwal, Choa Saidan Shah, Khewra Salt Mine, Sohawa and N-5 Western Exit to Kallar Kahar, Talagang, Khaushab

15. Balkasar Interchange Eastern Exit to Chakwal, Sohawa, Mandra and N-5 Western Exit to Balkassar, Talagang,Lawa, Mianwali, Pindi Gheb, Jand,

16. Neelah Dullah Interchange M2 Eastern Exit to Chakwal, Dullah and Bhagwal Western Exit to Neelah

17. Chakri Interchange Eastern Exit to Chakri, Rawalpindi and N-5 Western Exit to Pindi Gheb

18. M2-M1 Junction, Islamabd Eastern Exit to Islamabad/Rawalpindi, Islamabad Motorways Link Road, N-5 Western Exit to Gandhara International Airport Road(proposed)

Fuel stations

Monday and Thursday is the only days (as of November 2014) when CNG remains available throughout this route.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.paf.gov.pk/press_release/uploaded/MOTORWAY-RELEASE02-04-10.pdf
  2. ↑ Pakistan Motorway Project
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