Marrir Chowk project: Slow work may push cost up by Rs110m

Due to slow work by WAPDA and Pakistan Railways, March 31 deadline likely to be missed.

RAWALPINDI:

It looks like the garrison city’s civic body may miss another deadline on one of its most important projects. Given the current pace of work, it is unlikely that Benazir Bhutto Road will be widened at Marrir Chowk by March 2013.

The project envisaged doubling the width of the 30-feet road to ease the traffic flow at Marrir that often remains choked. The cost has increased from Rs340 to Rs450 million and it would further rise if the project is not completed on time, said a senior official of Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA).

Work on the project was started in October and was expected to be completed by March 31 but the slow pace of work by Pakistan Railways (PR) and WAPDA can delay the completion of the project, the official added.

The official said RDA has so far allocated Rs72 million to PR for arranging an alternate track for trains at Marrir Bridge and Rs23 million to WAPDA for removing its utilities under the bridge, he added.



Pakistan Railways has not submitted a complete map of the tracks after the road underneath the bridge is widened, while WAPDA has yet to remove its equipment from the site to clear the way for digging, the official said.

The delay will further escalate the cost of the project and would create more problems for the vehicles passing through the busiest intersection of the city, the official stated. District Coordination Officer (DCO) Saqib Zafar, when contacted, said every effort is being made to complete the project within the stipulated period.

WAPDA has started removing its installations and PR has also completed 90% of its work. There is no delay on the part of these departments and they have been asked to speed up their work, Zafar said.

The city administration has been trying its best not to close the intersection during construction as there is no alternative route to Marrir, said the DCO. The decision to keep the road open for traffic would delay the project as it would affect the pace of construction work, he added.

The project is brainchild of PML-N MNA Shakeel Awan. It was under discussion for a long time before being approved for construction in 2011. The contract for the project was awarded to the National Logistics Cell.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2012.