LAHORE: The change in the design of the Lahore Bund Road Rehabilitation Project, renamed as ‘Controlled Access Project Babu Sabu-Niazi Chowk/Interchange (Bund Road) Project,’ massively increased the cost of the scheme by up to Rs7 billion.

Since the construction work on the Rs11.3bn project was recently launched by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) after release of Rs1bn initially by the caretaker Punjab government, the official sources believe that the government could have averted the change in design and save Rs7bn had if followed the original plan/design, Dawn has learnt.

On the other hand, the independent urban and environmental experts have warned of the increase in smog in a month or two due to various issues including launch of various development projects in the provincial government.

“Under the previous plan, an underpass had been proposed on Bund Road (Gulshan-i-Ravi Turn). The other allied works, including asphalt work on the main Bund Road, its service roads with some increased width, fencing etc were enough to give a hassle-free access to motorists from Babu Sabu to Niazi Chowk interchanges,” an officer said while requesting anonymity.

Questions raised over ‘careless spending’ on project after alteration in design

One year before, under the previous plan option-1, the total project cost, including the 10.5 kanal land acquisition, was estimated at over Rs4.9bn.

Under option-2 of the original plan, a six-lane dual carriageway from Babu Sabu Interchange to Niaz Chowk Interchange, the cost was around Rs4.1bn.

However, the government took up the issue again and sought revision in the design with increased scope of work a couple of months ago. Under the revised plan, Package-I, 3.65km long, the existing Bund Road will be raised up to 13 feet from Niaz Interchange to Saggian. The cost of the project’s package-I is Rs5.2bn. The package-II having five subways will be worth Rs6.1bn.

“Actually this is a segment of Lahore Ring road along Bund Road alignment that involves, as per current design, construction of 15-20 feet high earthen embankment which is not, at all, workable in built-up areas. This is very costly as compared to the previously approved design by the previous government,” Dr Habibul Haq Randhawa, the former LDA chief engineer, told Dawn.

“The previous design contained an underpass at Gulshan-i-Ravi Mor (Bund Road). Its cost was drastically less while comparing the cost of the new design,” Dr Randhawa, who also worked as chief engineer for the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and Communication & Works Department, maintained.

He said extraordinary embankment height would involve construction of expensive RCC retaining structure walls on either side, which is not an efficient and cost-saving engineering solution. This is also not a sustainable project, as it may cause problems to adjoining settlements and their commuters.

Mr Randhawa was of the view that the low embankment of the existing road, if fenced, could be sufficient. He wondered how policymakers are opting for expensive, unsustainable and anti-environment project designs during the financial crunch.

Mr Randhawa said barrow-pit excavation, transportations and then compaction-related activities of millions of cubic feet soil in the embankment shall multiply the smog-related issues for the Lahorites.

“As many parts of Lahore, including Bund Road, have been dug out for various projects, the environmental-related issues in Lahore continue surging, posing severe smog in a month or so. The way the LDA is working haphazardly these days, it will ultimately damage the Lahore High Court’s interventions to control the smog,” Dr Randhawa expressed apprehension.

LDA Chief Engineer Asrar Saeed defended the new design of the project, terming it beneficial for the public at large amid reduction in smog.

“The project design was previously based on a T-junction, involving construction of an underpass at Gulshan-i-Ravi (T-junction)—the most crucial point. Besides this, a toll plaza , nearby this junction was also an issue, causing severe traffic issues on the Bund Road.

“According to a very initial proposal, a separate road along the Bund Road had been designed with certain allied works to connect Babu Sabu with Niaz interchange. The cost of this project was Rs27bn. But it did not mature. Later, the LDA was involved in the work and finally it proposed the Bund Road rehabilitation with T-junction project worth Rs4.3bn or so,” he explained.

Mr Saeed said the original design was not helping in controlling access of motorcycles and other slow-moving vehicles of several adjoining localities, the caretaker Punjab government decided to review the design.

Finally, the new design was approved, which was the best for all, he added.

The LDA chief engineer, to a question, said the authorities had had experience of fencing the service roads of the Bund Road but the residents would break the fences instead of using the service roads.

“I believe that the current one is the best ever design of this project,” he maintained.

It is pertinent to mention that the Lahore High Court, while hearing multiple petitions related to environmental pollution and smog the other day, took notice of the widespread development projects launched by the caretaker government of Punjab.

During the hearing, the court asked questions about the source of funding for the big projects, saying significant amounts of money were being spent without transparency. It also asked why the development projects were not halted during the smog season.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2023