The revised estimated cost of constructing the Lyari Expressway has jumped by 154 per cent of the original estimate of Rs5.09 billion, according to a document of the Planning Commission of Pakistan, which was presented to a National Assembly's standing committee.
According to the document, the revised PC-I form the construction of the Lyari Expressway project is now estimated to cost Rs12.99 billion. The figure will be considered in the next meeting of the Central Development Working Party (CDWP). The estimated revised cost of the project has increased by 154 per cent from original cost of Rs5.9 billion that was approved by the executive committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in March 2003. The planning commission has said that the revised project will be considered and approved by the ECNEC after it cleared the pre-CDWP and CDWP meetings.
The document further states that subsequent to release of Rs200 million allocated in the Public Sector Development Programme 2014-2015, additional funds of Rs500 million will be provided through re-appropriation on receipt of the progress report from the government of Sindh with the assurance that the earlier released amount has been paid to the affectees of the 2.2 kilometre stretch.
The planning commission has asked the Sindh government that the funds not be spent for any other purpose.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2014.
COMMENTS (2)
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What constitutes the increase in cost? Is steel more expensive? Is labour more expensive? Is cement more expensive? Is diesel more expensive?
Just doing a Dollar-Rupee conversion comparison between rates of then and now is not good enough.
In future journalists must enquire about such details. Increases in costs are one of the ways of giving & receiving commissions (kickbacks/grafts).
we have learnt a great deal to form committees perhaps ten on an average on daily basis and this is how we defer and finally; dispose everything in garbage. we should be proud of our skills for creating committees for all our issues without any resolve. nice way to handle what u can not achieve and kill time and make a living