Amri-Kazi Ahmed Bridge: Sindh refuses to bear the increased cost

Sindh government has reportedly refused to pick up 50 per cent of increase in the cost of Rs 3.5 billion for Amri-Kazi Ahmed Bridge over Indus River, it was learnt.
Sources told Business Recorder a recent meeting of Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec) chaired by the Finance Minister has approved revised cost of the project at Rs 7.189 billion against original PC-I cost of Rs 3.683 billion.
Sources maintained that the Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal has also informed the Ecnec that the revised PC-I of the project was modified and 2-lane Bridge has been widened to a 4-lane bridge in view of the verbal instructions of the President of Pakistan to the Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA).
They added that the project at the revised cost of Rs 7.189 billion was approved by the Ecnec with the decision that Rs 3.506 billion as the cost of increased scope of the project would be borne by the federal government and government of Sindh on 50:50 sharing basis.
The Ecnec also approved the release of 50% share of Federal Government of the increased cost. In reaction to the Ecnec decision for equal cost sharing of increased cost of the project by the federal government, government of Sindh submitted that its earlier stance for not sharing the cost of the project had not been honoured. Sindh government reiterated that due to limited fiscal space available with the Sindh government, sharing of cost is not possible and entire funding must be borne by the federal government. They have requested that the said decision may kindly be modified in the next Ecnec.
The government has released Rs 400 million from Rs 500 million allocated in the PSDP for the current fiscal year. The bridge is operational but works on guide banks is yet to be completed. Rs 3,527.5 million has been spent on the project, which is 54.6 per cent of the revised cost.
The original project envisaging construction of 1,241 meter long and 11.9 meter wide 2-lane bridge over River Indus along with 15.431 km approach roads, construction of 2-Flyovers / interchanges at N-5 and N-55, guide banks and other allied structures was approved by Ecnec on 21st January, 2010 at the cost of Rs 3,683.0 million.
The revised project envisages the construction of 1,320 meter long and 19.825 meter wide 4 - Lane Bridge over River Indus between Amri located on N-55 and Qazi Ahmed located on N-5 in the district of Nawabshah.