GWADAR, Oct. 24  – As the first teaching building of the Pak-China Technical and Vocational Institute (PCTVI) topped out couple of days back, the project demonstrated major progress which would herald the completion of the construction works and its scheduled delivery.

According to Gwadar Pro on Saturday, the China-supported construction project is undertaken by China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd. (CHEC).

The PCTVI, as a project supported by China, covers an area of about 7,350 square meters, with teaching buildings composed of classrooms, offices, and laboratories, training workshops, reading rooms, dormitories for both students and faculties, and other supporting rooms.

The construction of the project commenced in January 2020 and was scheduled to be finished within about 20 months.

“With the unique geographical location of Gwadar and the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak combined, the project schedule is facing multiple hindrances, which ranges from the hardship in accessing the site on the part of the Chinese technicians, the delayed arrival of construction materials, the difficulty in recruiting Pakistani workers, and the anti-terrorist pressure,” according to Huang Jiehua, leader of the construction works.

He said that to continue the progress as expected, all the participating parties have been rising to the challenges with multiple endeavors.

Based on corresponding construction stages, regular epidemic control measures were compiled and updated, which include closed-off and grid management, daily body temperature measurements, and daily key area disinfections.

During the epidemic, the construction continued by harnessing local resources. Specifically, up to 450 training sessions were given to newly recruited local workers of all levels so as to guarantee employment and income in the area. Till now, there are 29 and 280 employees from China and Pakistan respectively in the project.

According to Huang, PCTVI, as one of the key projects aiming at improving the local livelihood under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, appears to be the first Pakistani vocational school focusing on port shipping with other techniques as supplements.

The project, after coming into operation, will cultivate well-educated, skillful labor force for Gwadar and the whole Balochistan area and fulfill the commitment of both China and Pakistan in deepening cooperation in livelihood and securing common development.

It will also upgrade the education in the area and bring immense benefit to the local people.

The construction of the Institute is projected to complete by the end of January 2021, after which the renovation works will be commenced, Huang added.