ISLAMABAD: The National Highways Authority (NHA) Executive Board has revised upward the Right of Way (ROW) usage rental rates by 20 percent of existing rates.

NHA chairman Capt Muhammad Khurram Agha (retd) presided over the meeting of the Executive Board and deliberated upon “Revision of NHA Right of Way (ROW) usage Rental Rates for Laying/Crossing of Utility Lines i.e. (Optical Fiber Cables, Gas/Water/Oil Pipelines, Drain/ Sewerage Channels & Erection of Electrical Poles & Power Cables etc), in NHA ROW Land”.

The NHA Executive Board approved revision of rentals and other applicable charges by 20 percent of existing rates effective from March 01, 2022 for the next three years.

For OFC rental revision on (Non-Food) CPI Basis, the existing rate for ROW usage per meter per annum is Rs30 which is increased to Rs36, rate for bridge/culverts usage/crossing as per length up to 30 meter was Rs0.1 million which is increased to Rs0.12 million, for 31 to 50 meter the rate was Rs0.2 million which is increased to Rs0.24 million, for 51 to 100 meters the rate was Rs0.3 million which is increased to Rs0.36 million and for above 100 meters the rate was 0.5 million, which is increased to Rs0.6 million.

For pipelines rental rates revision on the basis of 20 percent increase after three years: Up to 12’ dia (per meter per annum) for highway it was Rs100 which is increased to Rs120 and on motorways it was Rs1000 which is increased to Rs1200, for 13’ to 24’ dia the rate for highways was Rs200 which is increased to Rs240 and on motorways it was Rs2000 which is increased to Rs2400, for 25’ to 36’ dia, the rate was Rs500 for highway which is increased to Rs600 and for motorways it was Rs3000 which is increased to Rs3600.

For electric poles and power cables etc (per circuit per meter per annum) the rate was Rs100 for highways, which is increased to Rs120 and for motorways it was Rs1000 which is increased to Rs1200.

Documents revealed that the rentals for ROW usage will be initially paid in advance for 05x years and 03x years for all pipelines/ electrical lines and optical fiber cables respectively thereafter, on yearly advance basis. The rates are net-off tax so as per prescribed rates for filers and non-filers of all tax including with-holding tax will be added by NOC holder/applicant to have gross NHA charges with tax.

The NHA Executive Board approved the award of Consultancy Services for “Design Review & Construction Supervision Consultants for Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Corridor (CAREC) Development Investment Program Tranche-II and Tranche-III Projects”.

It was awarded to M/s Minconsult Sdn Bhd (Malaysia) in Joint Venture with M/s Saman Corporation (Korea); M/s Sheladia Associates Inc (USA); M/s Creative Engineering Consultants (Pakistan); M/s AA Associates (Pvt) Ltd (Pakistan); M/s Asif Ali & Associates (Pvt) Ltd (Pakistan); M/s Associated Consulting Engineers Ltd (Pakistan); and M/s Associated Consultancy Centre (Pvt) Ltd (Pakistan), the highest ranked Consultants in the Combined (Technical + Financial) evaluation, at the evaluated cost of $2.845 million which includes remuneration, reimbursable, sales tax on services 15 percent and income tax on non-resident (three percent).

The Board deliberated upon Request of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry for waiver off Certain Requirements of Regulations for Access from NHA Controlled Network for Construction and Direct Access Through RAMPS on Lahore Sialkot Motorway (LSM) to the state-of-the-art hospital i.e.

Sialkot Medical City Limited (SMCL) Decision””.

The NHA Executive Board did not agree to the request of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce & Industry for Access from NHA Controlled Network for construction and direct access through ramps on Lahore Sialkot Motorway (LSM) to Sialkot Medical City Limited (SMCL) being not in conformity with NHA’s regulations for access from NHA Controlled Network.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022

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