File photo of heavy machinery busy in construction work on the highway. PHOTO: PPI/FILE
The country’s top authority for building and maintaining highways and motorways is ‘on the verge of collapse’, says the report of Asadullah Khan Mandokhel, the ex-caretaker minister for communication.
Written for the consumption of newly elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the report says that the National Highway Authority (NHA) is on the brink of collapse as it has been overburdened with the appointment of 3,000 extra employees with quite heavy salaries and perks.
In his six-page findings, available with The Express Tribune, Mandokhel said the total permanent staff required at the NHA was surely less than 1,000 people altogether.
The minister counted 15 alarming issues which had pushed the country’s communication system into a blind alley and recommended that the government should give funds equivalent to the projects launched at present.
“The NHA’s running projects need above Rs400 billion; however with existing pace of funding, it will take seven to eight years to even complete them,” he wrote.
Penning down the notes of his experience, the minister cautioned his successors to take emergency steps for renovation of all major National Highways, Motorways, Karakorum Highway, Makran Coastal Highway and Transport in Pakistan — whose condition is already deplorable.
Talking about Balochistan, he observed that the government was not interested to construct roads in the province. “This is, therefore, considered a dual policy and sheer discrimination by the government towards Balochistan — this is also totally against the spirit of Aghaz-e-Haqooq-e-Balochistan Package,” he added.
The government allocated around Rs69 billion for fresh as well as ongoing projects initiated by the NHA, official document showed. Some Rs5 billion were allocated for new projects, while Rs64 billion were allocated for the completion of some two dozen ongoing projects across the country.
The report reveals that six mega NHA projects are under way in Punjab. The projects’ estimated cost is Rs8 billion, while Rs2.2 billion have been allocated for them.
Interestingly, all these projects – Gilani Road, Multan, Syedwala Bridge, 6 Lane Highway from double Phatak-Chowk Naagshah, Jalalpur Pirwala-Uch Sharif, Sultan Bahu Bridge and Nishtar Ghat Bridge – were initiated during the tenure of ex-Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and relate to Multan division. These projects are now facing scarcity of funds.
Seven projects – for which Rs3.3 billion have been allocated this year – are under way in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. These projects—Shatial Thor Nala Bypass, Takht Bhai Flyover, Torkham-Jalalabad, Khushalgarh Bridge, Northen Bypass, Lowari Tunnel and Jhalkhad Top Chillas – are estimated to cost Rs26 billion.
In Balochistan, Rs9 billion have been allocated to five projects namely Kolpur Bypass, Waigum Rud Khajuri, Gwadar Turbat-Hoshab, Khuzdar-Raodero and Hosha-Basima Sorab. These projects – whose estimated cost is Rs35 billion – are facing delay.
In Sindh, around Rs2.5 billion have been allocated to seven projects, which are already facing undue delay. These projects include Lyari Expressway, Gharo-Keti Bunder, Qazi Ahmed Amri Bridge, Larkana-Kamber, Kamber-Shahdatkot, Larkana-Nasirabad and Larkana-Mohanjodaro. The estimated cost of the projects is Rs21 billion.
However, when The Express Tribune tried to approach the NHA Chairman Maroof Afzal and its secretary Arshad Bhatti, they were not available for comments.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 14th, 2013.
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The lion of Punjab will use his wisdom.. He will make sure the projects are completed in Punjab. The rest.... are on their own.