M-2 motorway (Pakistan)

The M-2 Motorway or the Lahore–Islamabad Motorway (Urdu: لاہور-اسلام آباد موٹروے) is a north–south motorway in Pakistan, connecting Rawalpindi/Islamabad to Lahore, and is the first motorway to have been built in South Asia.[1] The M-2 is 375 km long and located entirely in Punjab. It continues on to eventually become the M-1 motorway, connecting Islamabad and Peshawar. The M-2 crosses the junction of M-4 (to Faisalabad) at Pindi Bhattian and M-3 (to Multan) at Dera Saithan Wala. The motorway is also a part of the Asian Highway AH1. The motorway was constructed during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s rule and cost over Rs. 60 billion (equivalent to US$2.9 billion in 2024) and was opened in November 1997. One of the most expensive motorways in Asia, it also has one of the highest pillared-bridges in Asia at the Khewra Salt Range section.[2]

There are ten service and rest areas on both sides of the motorway, with fueling, car wash, and car-repair facilities, and fast-food restaurants such as KFC, McDonald’s, and Gloria Jean’s Coffees, among others.[3]

In 2016, the entire motorway was resurfaced—work that stretched over several months. New toll plazas were installed on every interchange. They are payable with a new M-tag system that was introduced in December 2021.[4]

Blue Caves, Zakynthos Island, Greece

History
The M-2 was conceived by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his first term (1990–1993). The contract was awarded to Daewoo Group of South Korea on 30 December 1991 at a cost of Rs. 23,686 billion on a design-cum-construct basis. The original contract was for a four-lane facility.

Daewoo provided a loan of $379 million as supplier’s credit, covering 40% of the construction cost. The loaned amount would eventually grow to $702 million. The other 60% of the cost would be paid by the government.[5]

The motorway was inaugurated on November 26, 1997, during Sharif’s second term.[6] In late 2006, upgrades were made to the portion of the M-2 passing through the Salt Range due to increasing complaints of drivers. The upgrades included better marking of the road lines and increased size of road signs for easy visibility.[7] In 2016, the M-2 motorway was resurfaced for a smooth and safer drive.

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Route

The motorway passing through the Salt Range
The M-2 starts to the west of Lahore, at the Thokar Niaz Baig junction of N-5 (National Highway 5). Once it crosses the Ravi River, it diverges from the N-5 (also known as Grand Trunk Road) and heads west towards Sheikhupura. After passing the Sheikhupura Interchange, the Khanqah Dogran Interchange comes at a distance of 36 km from the Sheikhupura Interchange. Once at Pindi Bhattian, it crosses the M-4 junction and turns north-west. It continues all the way to Kallar Kahar, where it enters the Salt Range. Past the Salt Range, the M-2 turns north and ends just west of Rawalpindi at the junction between the Islamabad Link Road and the M-1. It then continues on to eventually become the M-1 motorway, linking Islamabad and Rawalpindi with Peshawar.

The whole stretch of the M-2 consists of six lanes. There are a number of rest areas along the route, with eateries, washroom, fuel stations, and vehicle maintenance workshops.