The repeated changes in the design and consistent delay in completing Takhtbhai overhead bridge has escalated the cost of the project to Rs 836.47 million against the original cost of Rs 582.12 million - a huge increase of about 41 percent. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Communication which met with Sufyan Yusuf in the chair where the calling attention notice of Naeema Kishwar Khan and other MNAs regarding completion of Takhtbhai overhead bridge was discussed.
According to the briefing to the committee members, it was revealed that original cost of the Takhtbhai over-head bridge was Rs 582.124 million. However Rs 219 million were incurred as addition cost for extension in bays and cost was revised to Rs 801 ie increased by 37 percent. The project cost was again revised to Rs 836.466 million ie by about 4 percent. Original time of the completion was 18 months while later additional time over 12 months was increased and it was projected to be completed within 30 months. The time period was again revised by 12 months and the revised time completion was extended to 42.8 months of time. According to the briefing the deadline is now set August 29, 2016 for the project completion.
The NHA informed that various obstructions and utilities of different department were reasons behind delay in execution of the project. These utilities and obstruction had been removed with a lot of efforts through co-ordination with various departments involved in the project area including Pakistan Railways, utilities of PESCO, PTCL, SNGPL and TMA, adding some issues are now being removed or settled.
The committee expressed serious concerns over the delay in project completion which has manifold increased public problems and constituted a Sub-Committee under the convenership of Sahibzada Tariqullah to visit the site and give suggestions to resolve the issue related to the delay in the construction of the bridge. The committee also discussed the budgetary proposals relating to PSDP for the financial year 2016-17 of Ministry of Communication and its attached departments. The budgetary demands of Rs 844.764 million for the ongoing and proposed projects of the National Highway and Motorway Police were thoroughly discussed.
The committee recommended that the projects must be prioritised and the priority be given to the Sindh and Balochistan projects of Training Institutes. The committee also approved the budgetary demands of National Transport Research Center. The committee directed that all the record of the property possessed by the National Highway Authority be documented and digitalized.
Briefing the committee, Inspector General NH&MP said that the department is facing serious shortage of human resources while responsibilities regarding construction of new highways and motorways are increasing. He said that many sanctioned posts are lying vacant with the Federal Public Service Commission since 2014. However, according to the FPSC, there are other departments on the priority which is delaying the induction of new people in the department.
The committee expressed serious concerns over the matter by saying that with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the responsibilities would further increase. It recommended the department to hold a meeting with Chairman FPSC and resolve the issue soon. Chairman committee said that CPEC will be handed over to Motorway Police and in case of any mishap, onus would fell on Pakistan. The IG said that 50 night vision cameras have been provided by the US to Motorway Police which is helping in monitoring Motorways during night time to overcome over speed issue.
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