M2 motorway (Pakistan)

The M-2 motorway (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 is among the top five high-speed highways in the world, with the others having the likes of Autobahn in Germany, and the E 11 road (United Arab Emirates). It passes through, Faizpur, Kot Abdul Malik, Kala Shah Kaku, Sheikhupura, Khanqah Dogran, Kot Sarwar, Pindi Bhattian, Salem, Lilla Town, Kot Momin, Kallar Kahar, Balksar, Nila Dulha and Chakri before ending just outside the twin cities Rawalpindi and Islamabad. It was the first motorway built in South Asia. At Junction of M2 and M1 there is an interchange which on one side connect Islamabad/Rawalpindi through an expressway of 8 km 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 M4 (to Faisalabad) at Pindi Bhattian. It is part of Pakistan's Motorway Network. The motorway is also a part of the Asian Highway AH1.

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M–2 Motorway
Route information
Part of
Maintained by National Highway Authority
Length375 km (233 mi)
Existed1997–present
Major junctions
North endKashmir Highway Interchange – Rawalpindi
 M3,M4
South endThokar Niaz Beg, Lahore
Location
Major citiesChakwal
Kallar Kahar
Bhalwal
Pindi Bhattian
Sheikhupura
Kot Abdul Malik
Highway system
Roads in Pakistan

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 three 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 PAF used runway section again in 2017 to practice in hour of the emergency.

In 2016, the entire motorway was recarpeted and resurfaced- a work that stretched over several months. Frontier Works Organization. New tolls plazas have been installed on every interchanges with the new and latest e-tag system. The formal Miles board are changed to digital boards at a lot 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 fast food restaurants such as KFC, McDonald's and Gloria Jean's Coffees among others. [1]

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. In 2016 M2 got completely new carpeting for a smooth and safer drive.

Route
The motorway passes through the Salt Range mountains

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 Kot Abdul Malik, Sheikhupura, Pindi Bhattian, Kot Momin, Salem, bhera, Lilla Town, 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
M2 Motorway Junctions
Interchange Junction West bound exits East bound exits
M2 Zero Point, Lahore Start of motorway Road continues as Abdul Sattar Edhi Road to Lahore
N-5 – to Multan N-5 – to Lahore, Canal Bank Road to Lahore
Babu Sabu Interchange Band Road to Chowk Yatim Khana, LRR Band Road to Chowk Yatim Khana, LRR
M-3 Karachi-Lahore  KLM  M-3 – Karachi-Lahore Motorway M-3 – Karachi-Lahore Motorway
Faiz Pure Interchange Lahore-Jaranwala Road to Jaranwala Lahore-Jaranwala Road to Shahdara Town, Lahore
Kot Abdul Malik Interchange N-60 – to Sheikhupura N-60 – to Lahore
Kala Shah Kaku Interchange Lahore Bypass to Kala Shah Kaku & N-5 Lahore Bypass to Kala Shah Kaku & N-5
Sheikhupura Interchange Gujranwala–Sheikhupura Road to Sheikhupura Gujranwala–Sheikhupura Road to Gujranwala
Hiran Minar Interchange Jandiala–Sheikhupura Road to Hiran Minar, Sheikhupura Jandiala–Sheikhupura Road to Jandiala Sher Khan
Khanqah Dogran Interchange Khanqah Dogran Road to Khanqah Dogran Khanqah Dogran Road to Hafizabad
Sukheki Interchange Hafizabad-Sukheki Road to Sukheki Hafizabad-Sukheki Road to Hafizabad
M-4 Pindi Bhattian-Multan  Mltn  M-4 – Pindi Bhattian-Multan Motorway M-4 – Pindi Bhattian-Multan Motorway
Pindi Bhattian Interchange Wazirabad Road to Pindi Bhattian, Chiniot & Jhang Wazirabad Road to Wazirabad
Makhdoom Interchange Sial-Phalia Road to Sial More & Sargodha Sial-Phalia Road to Phalia & Gujrat
Kot Momin Interchange Kot Momin, Bhalwal Bhabra
Saalam Interchange Sargodha-Gujrat Road to Bhalwal, Sargodha Sargodha-Gujrat Road to Mandi Bahauddin
Bhera Interchange Bhera-Jhawarian Road to Jhawarian, Shahpur Bhera-Jhawarian Road to Bhera, Malakwal
Lilla Interchange Pind Dadan Khan-Lilla Road to Lilla Town, Khushab Pind Dadan Khan-Lilla Road to Pind Dadan Khan, Jhelum
Kallar Kahar Interchange Kallar Kahar Choa Saidanshah, Katas Raj Temples
Balkasar Interchange Talagang-Chakwal Road to Balkassar, Talagang Talagang-Chakwal Road to Chakwal
Neelah Dullah Interchange M2 Neela-Basti Abdullah Road to Neela Neela-Basti Abdullah Road to Basti Abdullah and Bhagwal
Chakri Interchange Chakri Road to Chakri Chakri Road to Rawalpindi
Thalian Interchange Airport Avenue to New Islamabad Airport Thalian Road to Thalian
M2-M1 Junction, Islamabd Islamabad Motorways Link Road to Islamabad/Rawalpindi Islamabad Motorways Link Road to Islamabad/Rawalpindi
Road continues as M-1 to Peshawar Start of M-2

Fuel stations and Service Areas

Fuel Stations are only available at 5 locations on each side of the road (North & South), These places are called Services Area (or قیام و طعام)

  • Sukheki Services Area - سکھیکی قیام و طعام
  • Sial Services Area - سیال قیام و طعام
  • Bhera Services Area - بھیرہ قیام و طعام
  • Kalar Kahar Services Area - کلر کہار قیام و طعام
  • Chakri - Services Area - چکری قیام و طعام

These services areas are on both sides of the roads, as crossing from inside the motorway is not possible. While coming from Lahore to Islamabad Services Areas are called North Sides (Going towards north) whereas Coming back towards Lahore the services areas are called South Sides ( Going towards South Side). Example: Sukheki North Service Area is when coming from Lahore to Islamabad, Sukheki South Services Area is when going towards Lahore. Average distance between two services are 60–80 km.

Rest Areas

Other than Services Areas for the facilities of commuters, the FWO has granted licences for Rest Areas with some basic services. The Rest Areas are being operated by private investors under the supervision of Frontier Works Organization (FWO). Bake & Bite is operating these Rest Areas The Rest Areas contain following services/amenities on each side of the location.

  • Ravi toll plaza, Lahore
  • Lahore-islamabad Motorway (M-2)
  • Lahore-Islamabad Motorway
  • Lahore-Islamabad Motorway
  • Lahore-Islamabad Motorway
  • Lahore-Islamabad motorway
  • Motorway M2(lahore-Islamabad)
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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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