ISLAMABAD: Burhan-Hassanabdal and Havelian Expressway (E-35) also known as Hazara Motorway project have delayed for further six months as National Highway Authority (NHA) yet to solve the revised design of 4 bridges.
Information available with this scribe that NHA could not solve the issue of revised designs of 4 bridges which will be constructed in Package 1 and 11 which starts from Burhan and ends at Sarai Saleh. In addition to this, NHA has to resolve the issue between the contractor and the engineers regarding some construction-related matters on above-mentioned packages.
Currently, there is a delay of 10 percent in 20 kilometres Package-I and thirty percent delay in the 20-kilometre Package-II, sources added.
Sources further told that government has to bear additional Rs 4 billion in Hazara Expressway either from Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) or any other source because Asian Development bank was funding this project and the closing date of MoL Loan is December 31, 2017. Sources further added that NHA could not utilise the $ 130 million under this project despite the passing of two years.
The document indicates that an amount of $ 40 million and $ 30 million has been disbursed for E-35, yet $ 79 million and $ 56 million in MoL Loan has to be disbursed.
Officials told that the loan amount could not be extended to the government has to fund Rs 4 billion from its resources which had increased to revised PC-1.
Meanwhile, Secretary Finance Shahid Mehmood chaired a meeting on Monday to know the current status of this project. NHA officials appraised that we had estimated to complete the said project in August but due to technical issues, it has not been completed. Officials further informed that the project will be open for traffic until April 2018 if we received additional Rs 4 billion in due time.
Sources told this scribe that Shahid Mehmood showed annoyance on the officials for continuous delay in this project.
It is worth mentioning here that Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Government had signed two agreement of $ 117 million and $ 87 million in September 2014 and September 2015 respectively to finance this project.
Earlier, the Federal government had announced to open the road for masses in August 2017 but due to delay in construction, the date had extended to December 2017.
According to PC-1, the cost of the project was Rs 30.986 billion with the 4-lane expressway, however, upon the directive of former PM Nawaz Sharif, the project has been converted from 4-lane expressway to 6-lane motorway, hence its cost increased from Rs 30.986 billion to Rs 34.165 billion accordingly.
Spokesperson of NHA Kashif Zaman while talking to Pakistan Today said that former PM Nawaz Sharif had announced to open the two phases of in August but due to the political situation, the two packages could not be inaugurated. “Incumbent Premier will inaugurate the project in Mid of December once the work will be completed”.
