Senate panel irked by delay in uplift projects

Notes that projects in other provinces are completed at a much faster pace

ISLAMABAD: A Senate panel was told on Friday that the major cause of delay in development projects particularly in Balochistan was lack of timely release of funds.

A meeting of the Senate Functional Committee on Problems of Less Developed Areas, chaired by Senator Usman Khan Kakar, was briefed by the National Highway Authority (NHA) on various projects including two bypasses in Loralai.

The committee took notice of delay in completion of the projects and observed that Balochistan road plans had not been implemented despite approval.

Kakar said it has been 13 years since the Loralai projects began.  He said projects in other provinces are completed at a much faster pace and questioned what the reason for this delay was.

The committee was informed that the major cause of delay was the release of funds.

It was also briefed about the Asian Development Bank (ADB) funded project – Qilla Saifullah to Loralai (Lot-1) and Loralai to Waigum Rud (Lot-II) – that began in August 2016.

The committee was informed that these projects were currently in concluding stages. The committee was further told that Loralai Bypass was not part of any package.

The NHA said efforts were made to make both Loralai bypasses (both southern and northern) a part of Lot-I and Lot-II. Design of Loralai Southern Bypass on the right side was carried out in 2005 which had become obsolete since settlements have been made in the design alignment.

Presently the PSDP 2019-20 does not contain provision/funds for these bypasses. Tendering for the culvert has been conducted and after technical evaluation work will commence by mid-September.

The committee was informed that dualization of Zhob–Kuchlak section of N-50 is planned to be carried out in order to make this section a continuation of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Western Alignment.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 15^th, 2019.