ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Minister of State for Communications Murad Saeed has written a letter to the Auditor General of Pakistan (AGP), asking him to conduct Special Audit of five NHA projects.
The projects include Lyari Expressway, Khuzdar-Shahdadkot (M-8), Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab (M-8), Lowari Tunnel (N-45) Civil Works, and Kalat-Quetta-Chaman (N-25).
In his letter, the minister said that these five projects of National Highway Authority (NHA) were inordinately delayed, causing price escalation and other adverse effects on the governance.
The state minister for communications asked the Auditor General of Pakistan to conduct Special Audit of these projects, and submit the report within 30 days.
Report of Special Audit of five NHA projects sought in 30 days
Murad Saeed also provided details about each of the five delayed projects of NHA, according to which, the work on the 16-kilomoter long Lyari Express began in May 2002 and it had to be completed in November 2004 with an expected cost of Rs 5.081 billion as per the Project Cost (PC-1). However, its PC-1 was revised, and a new completion date was set as January 2018 with the total cost amounting to Rs 11.521 billion.
The work on the 151-kilomter long Khuzdar-Shahdadkot (M-8) had to underway in April 2004 and be completed in October 2006 for Rs 23.168 billion. But later its PC-1 was revised, and May 2018 was set as the new date for its completion with the total expenditures soaring to Rs 36 billion.
The 193-kilometer long Gwadar-Turbat-Hoshab (M-8) had to be completed for Rs 23.168 billion in September 2006 after its construction went underway in June 2004. However, as per the revised PC-1, it costed Rs 36 billion and touched the finishing line in February 2016.
Likewise, Lowari Tunnel (N-45) Civil Works under which two Tunnels with 8.5 and 1.9 kilometers length respectively had to be constructed for Rs 7.983 billion from September 2005 to September 2008. But the work reached the completion in July 2017, costing Rs 26.85 billion.
The 226-kilometer long Kalat-Quetta-Chaman (NA-25) also suffered a delay after its construction began in February 2006, and reached the completion in December 2016 for Rs 19.140 billion. However, as per its original PC-1, the project had to cost Rs 6.671 billion and be completed in December 2008.
