ISLAMABAD: The Planning Commission has asked the Ministry of Communications to provide justification for an increase of around 64 percent in the construction cost of Chitral-Garam Chashma-Doraha Pass Road.
The Cost of the original PC-1 for the Construction of the Chitral-Garam Chashma-Doraha Pass Road (82.5 KM) project was Rs. 8,314.36 million in 2017, which has enhanced to Rs. 13,631.48 million in just five years, according to official documents seen by ProPakistani.
Ishaq Dar Vows to Recover Rs. 447 Billion from Gas Infrastructure Development Cess Defaulters
The total increase in cost is Rs. 5,317.12 million which is around 64 percent of the original cost, said the documents. Reasons for the increase in cost are due to actual land rates and updated cost of escalation with no change in the original scope of work, the document said.
The sponsoring agency should properly justify abnormal increases in land cost. Why special attention was not given to land issues keeping in view the importance of the matter?
It should also be certified that the current price of land is duly endorsed by the revenue department of the project area and there are no outstanding issues, which may cause a further increase in the cost of land, the documents said.
According to the sponsor of the project, there was very less provision for land acquisition and utility relocation in the original PC-I. Now the land cost and the utility relocation cost are assessed Mouza-wise by the District Administration and the correct cost is assessed as Rs. 4.39 billion.
Scope of the Project
This is a scheme for the construction of an 82.5 km long facility conforming to NHA standards which will connect Chitral with Doraha Pass (Pak-Afghan border). The proposed road will access Wakhan Corridor to Tajikistan through Eshkashim with a downward district in Pakistan.
The project will involve rehabilitation, widening, improvement in highway geometry, and elimination of major causeways to have all-weather roads.
The width of the flexible pavement as per ToR has been fixed at 7.3 meters with 2-3 meters treated shoulder.
The proposed carriageway shall have a RoW limit of 17 meters.