RBOD-II work cost soars to Rs 61 billion

The cost of extension of Right Bank Outfall Drainage from Sehwan to Sea (RBOD-II) has escalated to Rs 61 billion from initially estimated Rs 14 billion, primarily due to delay in completion of the project and subsequent revisions of PC-1. Sources said the twice revised project was designed in 2001 at a cost of Rs 14 billion to dispose the saline effluent into sea to save Manchar Lake and the area under Kotri Barrage Command from contamination by the saline effluent coming from upper Sindh and Balochistan.
The RBOD-II could not be completed within the stipulated time, scope and cost, and was subsequently revised in 2006 to Rs 29.217 billion. Again, it could not be completed in revised timeframe and surpassed its stipulations owing to multiple factors.
Sources said that Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms stated the sponsors have now come up with second revision of PC-1 with Rs 64.663 billion cost. The Ministry of Planning submitted revised PC-1 of the project to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) for approval.
The meeting of Ecnec chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was informed that after due deliberations and consultation with all stakeholders, the cost was rationalised to Rs 61.985 billion from Rs 64.6 billion with federal government''s 79 percent share of Rs 48.930 billion and Sindh to pay 21 percent share of Rs 13.055 billion. The project is now expected to complete in November 2019 The meeting was further stated that under the project, a cumulative earthwork of 2,591 mcft and 558 structures was to be undertaken to dispose the saline effluent.
The CDWP imposed the conditions that no further funding will be provided by the federal government in the case of cost overrun and project steering committee headed by chief secretary with members from Ministry of Water & Power and Ministry of Planning, Development & Reforms will meet every quarter and a report of the meeting will be submitted to Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission on regular basis and funds release will be linked with the submission of the report. The project is required for environmental conservation of water sector of Sindh and Manchar Lake. The RBOD-II will help dispose 3,520 cusecs of effluent discharge received from RBOD-I and RBOD-III into sea.