ISLAMABAD: It seems after last month’s two incidents all stakeholdershave lost their interest in the early completion of Bhara Kahu bypass project.

Earlier, the federal government, Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the contractor - National Logistics Cell (NLC) - were making all-out efforts to complete the project before March 23.

However, a visit to the construction site on Saturday showed that the work was in progress with a slow pace and if it was not expedited the bypass may not be completed even in next four months.

However, officials of the CDA engineering wing told Dawn that due to rain the work had slowed down and today the transom was being poured. They said out of the 27 transoms, 21 had been constructed and during Ramazan the civic agency will get the transoms construction completed. After Eid, the girder launching work will be started.

Sources said once started the girder launching work could take around two months and then one more month would be required for carpeting of the road. According to engineering rules, 28 days after launching girders loaded dumpers can start carpeting the flyover.

“Earlier, there was undue pressure but now there is no such pressure and we are working with over conscious approach and have been following safety standards as well,” said an official. Another official said there should be no focus on time as work conducted hurriedly always compromised the quality.

“This is a multi-billion project and the bypass should be constructed without any pressure for early completion. This project is meant for millions of people; therefore, it should be completed in accordance with international engineering standards,” he said.

The pet project of the federal government was started on October 1 and as per its PC-I was supposed to be completed within four months. Many people believed that the time line mentioned in the PC-I was irrational for such a mega project.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the CDA to make efforts to get the project completed in three months instead of four months mentioned in PC-I. Subsequently, the CDA and NLC made serious efforts and work continued round the clock. However, last months the project saw two back-to-back incidents – killing of two labourers following collapse of a transom and one week after the collapse of five girders apparently due to flaws in their launching.

Since then, the pace of work on the project has slowed down. The prime minister has constituted a commission to probe the incidents and fix responsibility.

The project has a four-kilometre-road with a bridge and five underpasses besides one kilometer elevated flyover. The road from Malpur to Ghugi stop Murree Road - a point from where elevated portion is started - is almost completed as base asphalt work has already been done. It is expected that final asphalt work (asphaltic concrete wearing course) will be carried out together with the flyover project.

Published in Dawn, March 27th, 2023