Metro Bus extension to IIA gets March deadline
Senate panel reviews increase in toll tax on motorways
PHOTO: FILE
ISLAMABAD:
A Senate panel was informed on Tuesday that two packages of Metro Bus connecting the twin cities have been almost completed.
The finished packages include Peshawar Morr and Islamabad International Airport (IIA), the officials told the committee and added that working on the remaining two was underway. They said that the provision time for completion of the project was March 2020.
The meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development, and Reforms was held at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani.
The meeting was attended by Senators Rukhsana Zuberi, Mir Kabeer Shahi, Sassui Palijo, Secretary Planning, Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA), Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Member Planning Commission and other related officials.
The committee members discussed the increase in toll tax on different motorways across the country.
They were informed by NHA officials that the toll tax on motorway sections M-1 and M-2 were increased in proportion with the average number of vehicles that use both of them. The related officials maintained that the increment was in compliance with the terms of the contract.
The NHA officials said that toll rates of motorways were increased over the years. Explaining the change, they said that the rates on M-1 connecting Islamabad and Peshawar were increased to Rs240 from Rs80 for cars during the period of 2005-2021. Similarly, Rs400 from Rs100 was increased for wagons, Rs550 from Rs140 for minibuses and Rs790 from Rs210 for buses.
The authority further informed the panel that the toll tax for cars on M-2, linking Islamabad and Lahore, rose to Rs750 from Rs200 during 1997-2020 whereas, for minibuses, it increased to Rs1,760 from Rs300 during the same period. The rate for buses using the road currently stood at Rs1,250 which was initially at Rs450.
The committee was told that NHA required as much as Rs 92 billion annually for renovating, repairing and maintaining of roads.
Land acquisition mechanism
The committee was given a briefing on the mechanism for land acquisition and mode of payment. The secretary planning told that the Punjab government would take the seat on the matter and would soon propose an amendment which would be implemented by federal and other provincial governments.
The panel also heard the view of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) on how the related mechanism could be devised for contributing to the effective and efficient preparations of the projects at all steps.
The provision of technical assistance to the ministry of planning on the evaluation of the project should be ensured in the mechanism to prevent delays and cost overrunning, PEC officials suggested.
At this, the committee directed the ministry, PEC and all related stakeholders to formulate a mechanism at earliest.
Sub-committee discussed parliament lodges’ issues
The sub-committee of the senate house committee was held under the chairmanship of Senator Yousuf Badani on the same day and venue.
The committee discussed the matter of delay in the construction of additional blocks of Parliament lodges in detail.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials unveiled that all the issues related to the hiring of a consultant for the construction of new blocks have been resolved. They assured that all legal points put forward by the committee would be implemented in a month’s period.
The tender advertisement would be published in the press after approval of the CDA board, they told.
Senator Kulsoom Perveen directed to prioritise construction work and to expedite all the requisite processes.
The CDA member told the Senate panel that some 14 firms were short-listed to be hired as consultants and Anwar Ali Associates was picked amongst them.
However, he added that the selected consultant didn’t abide by formalities and the construction work was delayed. The convener committee said that it was required to carry out an action against the firm and a high-level inquiry should be launched. He directed to submit a report on the matter within a month after probing into it.
The convener also directed to present the details of the Terms of Reference (TORs) for the hiring of the consultant before the committee. Senator Perveen expressed that a big project was delayed due to the incompetence of the consultant and it was still pending.
The committee assured its co-operation for completing the project at earliest and instructed the related officials to submit all the details asked by them in the next meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2019.
A Senate panel was informed on Tuesday that two packages of Metro Bus connecting the twin cities have been almost completed.
The finished packages include Peshawar Morr and Islamabad International Airport (IIA), the officials told the committee and added that working on the remaining two was underway. They said that the provision time for completion of the project was March 2020.
The meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Planning, Development, and Reforms was held at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Agha Shahzaib Durrani.
The meeting was attended by Senators Rukhsana Zuberi, Mir Kabeer Shahi, Sassui Palijo, Secretary Planning, Chairman National Highway Authority (NHA), Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), Member Planning Commission and other related officials.
The committee members discussed the increase in toll tax on different motorways across the country.
They were informed by NHA officials that the toll tax on motorway sections M-1 and M-2 were increased in proportion with the average number of vehicles that use both of them. The related officials maintained that the increment was in compliance with the terms of the contract.
The NHA officials said that toll rates of motorways were increased over the years. Explaining the change, they said that the rates on M-1 connecting Islamabad and Peshawar were increased to Rs240 from Rs80 for cars during the period of 2005-2021. Similarly, Rs400 from Rs100 was increased for wagons, Rs550 from Rs140 for minibuses and Rs790 from Rs210 for buses.
The authority further informed the panel that the toll tax for cars on M-2, linking Islamabad and Lahore, rose to Rs750 from Rs200 during 1997-2020 whereas, for minibuses, it increased to Rs1,760 from Rs300 during the same period. The rate for buses using the road currently stood at Rs1,250 which was initially at Rs450.
The committee was told that NHA required as much as Rs 92 billion annually for renovating, repairing and maintaining of roads.
Land acquisition mechanism
The committee was given a briefing on the mechanism for land acquisition and mode of payment. The secretary planning told that the Punjab government would take the seat on the matter and would soon propose an amendment which would be implemented by federal and other provincial governments.
The panel also heard the view of the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) on how the related mechanism could be devised for contributing to the effective and efficient preparations of the projects at all steps.
The provision of technical assistance to the ministry of planning on the evaluation of the project should be ensured in the mechanism to prevent delays and cost overrunning, PEC officials suggested.
At this, the committee directed the ministry, PEC and all related stakeholders to formulate a mechanism at earliest.
Sub-committee discussed parliament lodges’ issues
The sub-committee of the senate house committee was held under the chairmanship of Senator Yousuf Badani on the same day and venue.
The committee discussed the matter of delay in the construction of additional blocks of Parliament lodges in detail.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) officials unveiled that all the issues related to the hiring of a consultant for the construction of new blocks have been resolved. They assured that all legal points put forward by the committee would be implemented in a month’s period.
The tender advertisement would be published in the press after approval of the CDA board, they told.
Senator Kulsoom Perveen directed to prioritise construction work and to expedite all the requisite processes.
The CDA member told the Senate panel that some 14 firms were short-listed to be hired as consultants and Anwar Ali Associates was picked amongst them.
However, he added that the selected consultant didn’t abide by formalities and the construction work was delayed. The convener committee said that it was required to carry out an action against the firm and a high-level inquiry should be launched. He directed to submit a report on the matter within a month after probing into it.
The convener also directed to present the details of the Terms of Reference (TORs) for the hiring of the consultant before the committee. Senator Perveen expressed that a big project was delayed due to the incompetence of the consultant and it was still pending.
The committee assured its co-operation for completing the project at earliest and instructed the related officials to submit all the details asked by them in the next meeting.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 18th, 2019.