The failure on the part of Federal Ministry of Communication and Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited (KIDCL) to revise PC-1 is causing delay in the approval of Rs 500 million worth road infrastructure project in Karachi.
The project includes construction of 1.5 kms road from Malir Bund from Dadabhoy Town/Expressway up to limits of PNS Mehran, District East Karachi and construction of 10 kms long road from Dumlotte Wells up to link road adjacent to Education City, District Malir Karachi.
The project has been planned to be financed from Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) under Karachi Package. Its original PC-1 was approved in May, last year with the condition to rationalize the cost.
Ministry of Communication is the sponsoring agency of the project whereas KIDCL is the executing agency with Karachi Development Authority (KDA) and Malir Development Authority (MDA) as the responsible agencies for operation and maintenance after the completion of the project.
According to officials documents, the said project was considered by the CDWP in its meeting wherein CDWP approved the project at a cost to be rationalized by Member (Infrastructure &Road Construction) and Sr. Chief (Transport &Communication) of Planning Commission in consultation with the Government of Sindh/KIDCL to avoid any duplication of scope with any scheme of local/provincial government v in fifteen days.
In compliance of the above CDWP decision, Post CDWP meeting under the Chairmanship of Member (I&RC), Planning Commission was held on 20.08.2018.
After detail deliberations, Post CDWP Committee recommended that the sponsoring/executing Agency will conduct proper site surveys to, include soil investigation and traffic survey/ESAL calculation.
After conducting the above, a PC-1 based on proper design of the pavement along with firmed-up cost will be submitted in Ministry of Planning, Development & Reform to carryout cost rationalization exercise as per CDWP decision. Present PC-1 would be returned to Sponsors, the meeting recommended.
After issuance of the Post CDWP minutes, compliance of the recommendations by the Post CDWP Committee was not received from the sponsoring/executing Agency.
The document showed that a reminder was issued to KIDCL to submit an amended PC-1 in compliance with the Post CDWP Committee recommendations. However no response received from the sponsoring/executing Agency in this regard, document indicated. The last meeting of CDWP held last week returned the project without approval for non-compliance of the recommendations.