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| November 14, 2001 | Wednesday | Shaba’an 27, 1422 |
Overhead bridge at the expense of exchequer: Cost almost doubled in 13 years
SAHIWAL, Nov 13: Huge amount of government exchequer went down the drain as the construction of an overhead bridge in Chichawatni took 13 years.
The Punjab government had approved the project in 1988 to facilitate commuters against traffic mess at the level crossing of a road linking Toba Tek Singh.
The Sahiwal division highways department started work on the project on Feb 13, 1991, and completed it on June 30, 2001. The bridge was formally opened to public on Nov 6, 2001.
Provincial Highway Division executive engineer Mian Nazar Aftab, during the opening ceremony, told newsmen that the cost of the bridge was initially estimated to be Rs32 million, but it was enhanced to Rs53 million till its completion in June this year.
He said the length of the bridge without approach roads was 766.84 metres. The bridge had 14 spans of 25.62 metres each, while the railway span was 19.66 metres wide. The width of bridge for the road passage was 8.5 metres.
The XEN attributed the delay to financial stringencies, change in design and litigation started by the contractor.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, district Nazim Rai Hasan Nawaz said the project was got approved by his brother, the late Rai Ahmad Nawaz Khan, to meet the public demands. The work lingered on due to the change in governments and interference of the opposition-led governments. The Pakistan People’s Party had stopped the funding in 1993 and brought the work to a halt, he said.
He criticized the policies adopted by the people at the helm of affairs for the fulfilment of their desires at the cost of public interest.
Later, the Nazim unveiled the plaque carrying the formal date of opening of the bridge.
Several other projects in the province have been suffering the same fate due to similar reasons. It is about time that the Planning and Development Department should ensure timely provision of funds for the completion of schemes and to save government exchequer from financial doom.
WAPDA CHIEF: Wapda chairman Lt-Gen Zulfiqar Ali Khan has urged the staff to work dutifully for the good repute of the organization.
Addressing people in an open kutchery here on Tuesday, the chief said restoration of consumer’s trust in the organization would be one of the main aims while working.
To this end, he said a performance-oriented procedure was in the offing. A model customer service centre was being established to deal with the complaints more effectively and to rectify bills on the spot in every electricity circle, he added.
He directed the staff to entertain connection requests on plan paper.
He maintained heavily loaded sub-divisions would be bifurcated all over the country to provide efficient service to the consumers as per the decision taken as part of institutional reforms in Wapda.
Earlier, the chairman, along with the Mepco chief executive, inspected the upgraded 220-KV grid station, Yousafwala, which was constructed at a cost of Rs568 million. The station will generate 10 million units monthly for supply to Sahiwal, Multan, Okara, Vehari, Lahore, Faisalabad and Kasur.
Welfare steps like prompt payment of pension and new pay scales by the federal government for the Wapda employees were being considered, the chief concluded.
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