Chitral Times Report
ISLAMABAD: MNA from Chitral Shahzada Iftikharud Din has said that Despite Rs 350 Billion in Budgetary Cuts of Existing NHA Road Projects, MNA Succeeds in Retaining “Terich to Lot Owir Road Roads among NHAs new PSDP (2018-19) by Timely Getting PM Directives
In a pres release he said Faced with serious revenue shortfalls for the new financial year, following the decision by the Federal Government to cut Rs 350 billion (Rs three hundred & ffty billion) of NHAs Road projects , the NHA authorities had informed all that many projects including Terich to Lot Owir will be taken out of the new budget being presented next on 27th April 2018.
Learning of the lurking danger, Shahzada Iftikhar Uddin immediately approached all concerned decision makers including Chairman NHA, both Junaid Anwar Chaudhry the Minister of State for Communication as well as Federal Minister Communications Hafiz Abdul Kareem.
Between 1st and 15th April MNA also met Deputy Chairman Panning Commission Sartaj Aziz, Minister for Planning Ch Ahsan Iqbal and PSO to PM Nabeel Afzaal Bajwa and Engineer Amir Muqam and succeeded to get PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to issue fresh directives dated 16th April 2018 to retain the important project in new PSDP (2018-19).
It may be noted that its survey for PC-II was conducted in Sept 2017 and subsequently approved by NHA in Dec 2017. Then in February NHA floated tenders for Detailed Design of the Project and both its Technical and Financial Bids have been opened and now NHA has shortlisted Karachi based ABM Engineers who are expected to start work on its Detailed Design and Feasibility Study after formal awarded of contract to them that’s expected within next 10 days inshallah.
It would have been a major set back if the project had been among NHAs Rs 350 billion PSDP 2017-18 Projects that had been taken out of the new budget.
CONGRATULATIONS to people of the Four UCs of 1) Terich, 2) Mulkhow, 3) Kosht and 4) Lot Owir. that the project remains on course and Rs 75 crores have been allocated for construction work in the new budget to be presented on 27th April 2018.
NOTE: The Project titled ” Widening & Blacktopping of Terich to Lot Owir with Four Bridges has now been retained in new PSDP (2018-19) and Rs 75 crores have been allocated for its construction in the new budget.
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Modification of Design of Four RCC Bridges in Chitral
Meanwhile MNA has said GM Design NHA Col Zulfiqar Janjua along with Consultants will be visiting Chitral tomorrow 25th April 2018 to Address the Design Issues related to following bridges:
1) Oseak to Drosh Costing Rs 16 Crores
2) Kuragh to Gasht Lasht (Kosht) Rs 16 Crores
3) Nishkuh to Wekhop Rs 16 Crores
4) Shogore -Awi Rs 16 Crores
Note: PM will be inaugurating Garam Chashma and Kalash Valley Roads in his upcoming Chitral visit scheduled in 2nd week of May 2018 and will also inaugurate Gas Plants at Drosh, Chitral and Ayun inshallah.
It may be noted that the above four bridges of NHA were formally approved on 13th February 2018 by CDWP (Planning Commisison).
However, NHA in a meeting of its Technical experts has decided to review the structural designs to make them compatible with Earthquakes and massive flash floods before the above tendering of the Four Bridges.
It may be noted that Rs 54 crores in funds for the four bridges have already been approved and the bridges will be tendered once the design issues are addressed. The bridges are expected to help benefit more than 80, 000 residents of the concerned areas and help give impetus to economic activities in the concerned areas.
