SWABI, Nov 7: The construction work on 200-bed Swabi Hospital complex (SHC) may be resumed in the next few days after a lapse of over five years.

The work had been suspended after the Pakistan Muslim League (N) victory in 1997 elections.

The initial estimated cost of the project was Rs81.44 million. However, due to delay in construction, the cost has increased to Rs250 million.  

Only Rs50 million were released for the project on the directive of prime minister Benazir Bhutto and the foundation stone was laid by the then chief minister of NWFP, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, in 1995.

The construction of the SHC was started in the same year and the completion date was June 30, 1998. The consultant was  Nespak.

The construction was in full swing during the Sherpao government and it was expected that the work would be completed according to schedule.

However, when the Pakistan People’s Party was defeat in 1997 elections, Nawaz Sharif became prime minister and Sardar Mehtab Khan assumed charge as NWFP chief minister, he suddenly stopped the flow of funds. About 60 per cent of the civil work had been completed by then.

At that time two major projects, the SHC and Hund Bridge, were under construction in the area but work on them was stopped soon after the election.  

The PML(N) parliamentarians were of the view that if the SHC and the Hund Bridge were completed, the credit would go to the PPP and it might boost its position in the district. The project was in PF-24 constituency, from where Salim Khan advocate had won the election.

Incumbent district Nazim Sher Zaman Sher succeeded in getting funds sanctioned for the Hund bridge, which was completed in 1998. However, construction of the SHC remained suspended. The bridge was in the constituency of Mr Sher.

The SHC is located at a distance  6km on Jehangira-Swabi road in Shahmansoor.

Under phase-1 of the project, casualty, radiology and pathology units, OPD, ICU, operation theatre, roads, sanitation and power supply were to be completed. However, due to stoppage of funds the work could not be completed.

After the change of government in October 1999, the NWFP health minister and director general health visited the incomplete hospital.

NWFP Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah visited the site on March 22. Attending a briefing about the SHC, he announced that Rs40 million would be provided for the construction of the hospital and directed the quarters concerned to immediately start execution of the project.

He was informed that Rs50 million had been released for the project and the estimated cost of the SHC was Rs250 million.

Despite the orders, the construction has not been resumed in more than seven months.

When this correspondent visited the site, two contractors, Gohar and Muqadar Shah, had already brought construction material and moblized the workers. The workers said the construction would be started in a few days.

The people of the area have appealed to the NWFP governor to order acceleration of construction for completion of the project.