Senate body expresses concerns over sale of expensive food items on Motorways

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Communications Tuesday expressed concerns over the sale of expensive and substandard food items at service areas of Motorways.

The committee met here at Parliament House under chairmanship of Senator Hidayat Ullah.

Chairman NHA, Capt (R) Sikandar Qayyum informed the committee that the issue of sale of expensive foods on Motorways was serious nature, adding that complaints were also received on Prime Minister Portal in that regard.

He said that the local administrations were responsible to check the rate lists and standard of foods. He said that letters were also written to the local administrations in that regard, adding that local administrations concerned officials contact numbers were also displayed at various places.

He said that the services areas were bound to display approved rate list from the district administrations. He said that people should register complaints with the districts administrations on phones.

The committee discussed in details the agenda item as per the recommendations of the sub-committee of the Standing Committee on Communications held on October 8,2020, regarding the issues pertaining to Mansehra Service Area and handing over of service areas at M5 to PSO without bidding process, representatives of PSO and NHA.

The committee directed the ministry to resolve the issue in the NHA Board as soon possible.

The committee also discussed the matter pertaining to payment to the land owners whose land was acquired for the construction of road from Kaghan to Babu Sartop and to brief the committee under Rule 196 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Senate, 2012, National Highway Authority (NHA) was bound to fulfill the recommendation of the said committee as the motion was also adopted in the House, referred by the Chairman Senate for consideration and report.

The Director Land NHA said that on the directives of committee, the rate were obtained from the collector and shared with the Senator Lt. Gen (R) Salahuddin Tirmizi.

The chairman NHA has sought two-day time to share further updates regarding the matter pertaining to the land owners whose land was acquired for the construction of road.

The committee also briefed on the eligibility criteria of bidding/tendering procedure and procurement process of NHA for projects of Highways and Motorways. The committee was also briefed regarding the consultants role in NHA projects and new technically and financially sound companies which could not fulfill the criteria of experience and the way forward.

The committee also discussed the point of public importance raised by Senator Sassui Palijo regarding alleged objections by the NHA on gas section schemes pertaining to her constituency (PS-85) for the period when she was member of the Cabinet of government of Sindh (2002-07 & 2008-13) for consideration and report. The committee also discussed on starred question asked by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi, regar ding number of Toll Plazas established on the Highways and Motorways in the country, for consideration and report.

The meeting was attended by members of the committee Senators including Liaqat Tarakai, Lt.Gen.(R) Salahuddin Tirmizi, Mir Muhammad Yusaf Badini, Dr. Jahanzeb Jamaldini, Ahmed Khan, Fida Muhammad, Bahramand Khan Tangi and Dr. Ashok. The meeting was also attended by the senior officials Ministry of Communications and NHA, DC Mansehra.