Musharraf takes notice of expressway cost: Nespak draws Rs 18 billion

President General Pervez Musharraf has taken strict notice of the huge estimated cost of Rs 18 billion drawn by National Engineering Service of Pakistan (Nespak) for stepwise completion of 24-km long 'Expressway'.
The Expressway is being constructed along both sides of the Nullah Leh and a GHQ-based consultant company has now been given responsibility to complete the project at Rs 8 billion under its supervision.
Military Corps of Engineers (MCE) Engineer-in-Chief, Major General Shahid Niaz has been asked to supervise the project to complete it at a minimum cost of Rs8 billion by withdrawing the agreement of designing and planning with the previous company.
The project was previously given to Nespak who estimated the stepwise completion of the project at cost of Rs18 billion.
Major General Shahid Niaz visited Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) headquarter and held a meeting with Director General, Brigadier Pervez Mehmood Khan (Retd), on Saturday following directives from President General Pervez Musharraf, PPI learnt on Sunday.
Pervez Mehmood gave a detailed briefing to the delegation of MCE, headed by Engineer-in-Chief, Major General Shahid Niaz and informed about the estimated cost drawn by the Nespak.
Khan informed the delegation on the planning of stepwise construction of the project at an estimated cost of more than Rs18 billion by the Nespak.
It was also agreed to give the project to another company that has the capability of completing the project international standard at minimum cost.
The meeting was informed about the PC-I of the project including its maps and different aspects of the initial planning and designing.
Major General Shahid Niaz informed the meeting regarding the presidential concern over the huge estimated cost of the project and said that according to the guideline of the Awan-e-Sader, the project should be completed at a minimum cost and the national exchequer be saved from wastage.
The meeting also discussed the initial feasibility report of its completion including planning and designing given by another local company at a cost of Rs5 billion.
RDA's DG, Brigadier Pervez told PPI that the project will now be completed by MCE and the GHQ based consultancy would provide its services of planning and designing in the light of new directives.