Senate body raises concerns over Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway

Committee to write to PM, Senate chairman over the tendering process

ISLAMABAD:

The Senate Standing Committee on Communications has decided to write a letter to the prime minister and Senate chairman over the tender process of the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway.

A meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Communications was held under the chairmanship of Prince Ahmad Umar Ahmadzai.

The National Highway Safety Amendment Bill 2022 was considered in the meeting.

In the meeting, the issue of irregularities in the contract of the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway was considered.

The committee wondered what if the company ran away during the work on the project. It also noted that in 2014, the project’s cost was Rs191 billion.

It was also highlighted that the contractor would invest Rs308 billion in this project, and the toll of the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway had been fixed.

Senator Kamil Ali Agha said, "Have you taken any guarantee from this company?"

NHA member Asim Amin said that the feasibility was done by Nespak, wherein it estimated the daily traffic at 15,000 to 20,000. He said that the concessionaire estimated the daily traffic at 50,000.

“The concessionaire has also told us that I will earn you Rs400 billion in 25 years,” he said. “If the contractor is financially closed, then it is fine, if not, he will be blacklisted.”

Senator Saifullah Abro said that objections were raised to the contractors of the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway, but they were qualified later.

NHA officials said that the contractor had some documents in the Italian language. The Grievance Committee dealt with these matters and the contractors gave the documents, and the documents were then verified through the Italian company, they added.

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“We work day and night for the country,” they said.

Senator Abro took exception to their conduct and said that neither were they dealing with contractors nor were they in the NHA office.

“What is the minimum experience required for this project?” he asked.

During the meeting, Senator Abro said that the tender process of the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway was not correct at all.

There should be an inquiry into the tender process of this project, and this matter should be sent to NAB, he added.

NHA officials asked how it could be sent to NAB when this was the “investment process”.

"Does the government have enough money to build it? What option do we have after eliminating that option?" they asked.

“The option is ZKB, we cannot give it for Rs180 billion,” they added.

"Do you first tender on the committee's request, ZKB or whoever comes is not our problem,” Senator Abro said.

The chairman said that a letter will be written to the prime minister and the Senate chairman on the concerns of the committee on this project.

He said that it is a joint venture project which has not been highlighted.