Super Highway: Minister orders inquiry into ‘substandard’ work

Federal minister orders NHA chairman to submit inquiry report on substandard work and blacklist company concerned.

JAMSHORO: Declaring the condition of the Karachi-Hyderabad Super Highway ‘dilapidated’, Federal Communication Minister Arbab Alamgir ordered the National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman to submit an inquiry report on the substandard work and blacklist the company concerned.

In a meeting with NHA officials at the district government secretariat in Jamshoro, the minister approved Rs40 million for the repairs of the road and filling of craters that had developed between 135 and 137 kilometers from the Karachi toll plaza.

Alamgir also said that the Indus River Bridge at the Hyderabad Bypass was in deplorable condition. He directed to replace the local extension joints of the pillars with imported extension joints and observed that this bridge and two other bridges leading to Matiari were unable to bear heavy traffic.

It is wrong to allow overloaded vehicles to cross these bridges, he said, adding that officials must take action against drivers of such vehicles. “We have to direct goods companies to abide the rules.”

Around Rs1.5 billion are being earned annually through the auction of 26 toll plazas while at the Super Highway alone Rs450 million are collected through two toll plazas.

The minister said that they require around Rs5 billion to convert the Super Highway into a motorway and although they did not have the money right now, they plan to approach the World Bank for help. “Work can start within two months if we have Rs2 billion at the onset,” he added.

Alamgir informed that 48 bridges were damaged in Jacobabad, Sukkur, Jamshoro, Pannu Aqil, Qambar and other areas of Sindh when the floods hit and funds are required to repair them.

MNA Nawab Abdul Ghani Talpur suggested initiating work on the motorway on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis since the government does not have funds. He demanded four ambulances and a Hydraulic bulk cutter for the Super Highway, equipment which is necessary in the case of accidents.

NHA officials informed the meeting that local extension joints cost Rs5,000 each and would most probably last  only six months while the Korean extension joints would cost Rs50,000 and would last 25 years.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 21^st, 2011.