Continuous absence of federal minister for communications and secretary finance from the meeting irked a parliamentary panel, which was set to discuss eastern, western and common routes under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework on Thursday.
The Senate Standing Committee on Communications met here with Senator Hidayat Ullah Khan in chair and observed that Minister for Communications Murad Saeed has never bothered to attend the committee meeting. The CPEC is an important project and the minister should attend the meeting, he added.
The committee also expressed anger over the absence of secretary finance from the meeting without intimation. Discussion on progress report on CPEC eastern, western and common routes was deferred and it was decided to file a privilege motion against the secretary.
To a question, chairman National Highway Authority (NHA) said that completed projects of motorways would be opened with the mutual understanding of China as the projects were launched under the CPEC.
The committee was told regarding Multan-Sukkur Motorway that the process for taking over certificate is underway and Shah Maqsood-Mansehra section of Hazara Motorway is being tried to be opened for traffic till the end of this month. The delays are due to some geometry and design issues with the addition of frequent rains. Hazara Motorway was expected to be opened at the end of this month as the work is near its completion.
The committee directed the NHA to resolve the pending issues of the public residing along the national highways and motorways.
The parliamentary panel discussed the matter of land of local residents on both sides of Super Highway (M-9 Motorway) and also touched upon the reports of the computerized national identity cards (CNICs) being checked by the WFO on M-9 without any authorization.
The committee recommended stopping this practice while also calling upon better training and capacity building of the staff deployed at the toll plazas and other points. The committee called for improving the lighting and other facilities in the tunnels and other parts of the road.
The committee was given a briefing by Member West Zone NHA regarding the overall progress of the construction of Khuzdar-Shahdad Kot section of Gwadar-Ratodero Road, M-8 Section IV, and Package-III.
The committee was told that the original PC-I was of Rs 23.168 billion and award of works had been given in 1999. The original date of project completion was in 2006 but now it is being tried to complete the package-III till December 2019 but this deadline is subject to availability of funds.
The revised PC-1 is of Rs 38.02 billion and the incomplete section runs along 51.12 kilometers. The body was also informed that M-8 Section-IV from Gwadar to Ratodero has not yet completed due to the lack of funds and negligence within the institution.
The chairman of the committee said that no contractor should be provided next project until he does not complete the previous ones. The NHA chairman assured to take action against the concerned person.
Senator Salahuddin raised the land issue of the people living on Kaghan-Babusar Pass Road, saying that their payments have been pending for the last 17 years. He made a symbolic walkout along other senators to record his protest against the NHA for not paying attention regarding this longstanding issue.
The chairman of the committee directed the NHA chairman and secretary communications to inform the Senate body about the factual situation regarding the said issue in the next meeting.
The committee also recommended that the issues including the payments of land allocation on Kaghan-Babusar Pass, completion of section-IV of M-8 and construction of flyover and u-turn on M-9 should be resolved on urgent basis.
The secretary communications briefed the committee members that the width of land provided for the establishment of M-2 Section from Islamabad to Lahore is wider than M-9 section established from Karachi to Hyderabad.
The NHA chairman said that none of the highway can be changed into the motorway, adding M-9 is a superhighway but it was changed into motorway under the policy of previous government.
While criticizing the M-9 project, Moula Bux Chandio said that rickshaws and motorcycles are seen on the road. It is not as per standard of the motorways, he added. The secretary communication replied that this chapter has been closed for future as no highway would be converted into motorway in future.
The committee recommended that the issues being faced by the general public on M-9 should be resolved.
The meeting was attended among others by Senators Dr Jehanzeb Jamaldini, Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah, Lieutenant General Salahuddin Tirmizi (retd), Bahramand Khan Tangi, Islamuddin Shaikh, Gianchand, Mir Muhammad Yousaf Badini and Moula Bux Chandio, Secretary Communication Jawwad Rafique, Chairman NHA Captain Sikander Qayyum (retd) and other concerned officials.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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