ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank’s Independent Evaluation Department has rated the Pakistan Post-Flood National Highways Rehabilitation Project, with an estimated cost of USD 218.8 million, as less than successful. Launched after the devastating 2010 floods, the project aimed to restore critical national highways and bridges in flood-affected regions, but the latest validation report highlights gaps in effectiveness and sustainability.

The rehabilitation project, supported by a USD 196.9 million ADB loan, focused on repairing 201 kilometres of national highways and 21 bridges across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. While the initiative was relevant and efficient, the evaluation indicates that key objectives were not fully achieved, contrasting with the original project completion report that had labeled it successful.

Efforts under the project included establishing Disaster Management Units within the National Highway Authority and training staff to manage post-disaster traffic disruptions. The project’s economic internal rate of return at completion was 17.1 percent, slightly below the 20 percent projected at appraisal, reflecting moderate efficiency in resource utilization.

The Independent Evaluation Department found insufficient evidence to confirm that essential outcomes such as safer and more efficient traffic movement were fully realized. Furthermore, 12 bridges initially included in the project were later completed using government funds, indicating that not all outputs were delivered under the ADB loan.

Sustainability remains a major concern. Although Pakistan funds road maintenance primarily through toll revenues, the evaluators noted a lack of clear proof that future operations and maintenance budgets will be sufficient to protect the rehabilitated highways and bridges over the long term.

Despite these challenges, the project has had a positive impact by reconnecting communities and supporting recovery after catastrophic floods. The report recommends preparing a project performance evaluation in 2026, as more than two years have passed since the project’s physical completion, to ensure comprehensive assessment of its long-term outcomes.