Funds delayed: Communication projects hampered

PESHAWAR: The shifting of funds allocated for completion of communication projects in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) was categorically denied by Federal Minister for Communications Arbab Alamgir Khan on Monday. He claimed no funds were transferred by National Highway Authority (NHA) to other provinces.

The minister expressed these views while talking to MPAs of K-P at a briefing arranged by Provincial Assembly’s Standing Committee on Communication &Works here at Assembly Secretariat.

Arbab said the impression is baseless that government is focusing on specific projects and for the completion of which, funds already allocated for other projects, have been diverted, is baseless.However, he added, due to financial constraints some important projects have been delayed which would be completed as funds are released by the federal government.

The minister apprised the MPAs in that during the current fiscal year, the federal government approved several projects worth Rs36 billion for NHA. Out of the total amount, the department has received only Rs12 billion so far, among which the share of Khyber Province is Rs2.97 billion.

The minister briefed the MPAs on all important projects including Lowari Tunnel, Express Highway Project from Burhan to Mansehra, Peshawar Northern By-Pass and other projects. He said that 43 per cent work has been completed on Lowari Tunnel Project and the delay in its completion is due to pending funds and stalling of work, owing to security reasons.

The minister informed that out of the total cost of the project which is Rs17 billion, about Rs5.25 billion has been spent on Lowari Tunnel project. Delay in completion of the project due to lack of funds has almost doubled its cost, he added.

About Express Highway Project, the minister said it is 110 km road from Burhan to Manshera and the total cost of the project is Rs50 billion.

The major chunk of the project, about 89 per cent, would be funded by Asian Development Bank while finances for the remaining portion would be provided by the federal government.

The NHA has provided Rs700 million to Revenue Department of K-P and Punjab for acquisition of land for the first phase of the project.

However, in some areas the cost of land is very high for which talks are in progress and soon the issue would be resolved. Presently, he added, the federal government has assured issuance of Rs1 billion for continuing work on projects in K-P.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2011.