KP road construction costs Rs70 million per kilometre as Senate panel questions Rs43 billion additional spending

The Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs has questioned the cost and award of road construction contracts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after provincial officials said one kilometre of road cost Rs70 million.

Officials from the Communication and Works Department told the committee that 770 kilometres of roads had been constructed at a total cost of Rs69 billion.

Committee Chairman Senator Saifullah Abro asked why an additional Rs43 billion had been included despite the stated project cost of Rs69 billion.

KP officials said the additional expenditure covered several bridges constructed as part of the road projects.

Abro also raised concerns over contracts being awarded to only two or three companies despite the presence of several large construction firms in the province.

Officials said other companies had not participated in the bidding. The chairman said the response raised questions about whether open competitive bidding had been properly conducted and directed the department to submit complete details of the Notice Inviting Tender.

Provincial officials told the committee that KP has completed the rehabilitation and upgradation of 249.5 kilometres of roads under an Asian Development Bank-funded project. 

The agreement for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Road Rehabilitation and Upgradation Project was signed with the ADB in 2018.

Officials said total expenditure had reached $146.2 million, while the loan closing date was set for October 2026.

Roads completed under the project include the Kalam-Matiltan-Mahodand Road, Shah Alam-Sardar Yab Road, Risalpur-Jahangira Road and Haripur-Hattar-Taxila Road.

The committee, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, reviewed the implementation and utilisation of foreign-funded development projects across the country.