ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority’s (NHA) Executive Board has forwarded the PC-I involving construction of the Muzaffarabad-Mansehra highway (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor link) at a cost of Rs 44.72 billion for consideration of the Central Development Working Party/Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

The board meeting was presided over by Capt Muhammad Khurram Agha (retired), the chairman of NHA.

According to official documents, the board deliberated at length upon the PC-I for construction of the 26.6-kilometre- long Muzaffarabad - Mansehra road before deciding to forward the PC-I worth Rs 44.72 billion for consideration of CDWP/ECNEC.

The board also evaluated the PC-I for construction of an 81km road between Shounter (Kel) and Rattu (Gorikot), along with a tunnel at Shounter, and recommended that the CDWP/ECNEC consider the project worth Rs 61.162 billion for implementation.

The NHA board recommended that the CDWP/ECNEC consider for implementation the PC-I for construction of the Sui-Kashmore Highway (69.7km) at a cost of Rs 28.396 billion.

The board also approved the award of agreement for “consultancy services for design review and construction supervision of Hoshab-Awaran-Khuzdar; Section of M-8 Project (and) Section-2: Awaran-Naal, Length (168 km)” to M/s Zeeruk International (Pvt) Ltd in joint venture with M/s Associated Consulting Engineers-ACE Ltd, M/s Prime Engineering and Testing Consultants (Pvt) Ltd and M/s Effective Engineering Expertise (Pvt) Ltd, the successful consultant in the combined evaluation at evaluated cost of Rs 506,353,418, including salary cost, direct non-salary cost and all types of applicable taxes including GST at 15 percent.

The board also approved the Extension of Time No 4 — from August 16, 2021 to October 22, 2022 — that would have a financial impact of Rs 526.5 million, in favour of M/s RMC-CLIC JV for the construction of Peshawar Northern Bypass Project (Package-II).

The board also assessed the second revised PC-I for completion of remaining works of the 2nd carriageway of Torkham-Jalalabad road, which is 74.676km long. In a major change, the 0.5 percent security charges have been incorporated into the total cost of the project, on the directives of Ministry of Communications. The NHA establishment charges have also been reduced to Rs 85.6 million.

The AICC Afghanistan Coordination Committee had requested that the project’s second revised PC-I be approved.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022