Islamabad, Sep 7 (IANS): Several projects worth $17 billion under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are in pipeline and advance stage of approval, the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Wednesday.

Out of $46 billion to be invested under the CPEC initiative in Pakistan, road network, infrastructure and energy projects worth $18 billion are already under full and active implementation phase.

According to official sources in the ministry of planning, development and reform, the projects were being completed under CPEC at Bin Qasim, Sahiwal, Karakuram Highways, Western Route and Sukkur-Karachi motorway.

Work on the Western route is progressing satisfactorily while Gwadar airport and Eastbay Expressway in Gwadar are in advanced stages of approval by Chinese side and will have the ground breaking within a couple of months, APP reported.

The work on technical and vocational training institutes of Gwadar is being carried out to make them operational as early as possible, it said.