ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: In a controversial and expensive move the city managers have extended the scope of the work of the Zero Point Interchange (ZPI).

This has hiked the cost of the project from Rs2.3 billion to over Rs3 billion, a source in the Capital Development Authority (CDA) told Dawn .

The additional work has been awarded to the same construction company – Maqbool Associates (MA) – which is executing the rest of the project that was launched in September 2008. The additional work it has been awarded is to build an extra 16 kilometres of the eight-lane road (from Peshawar Mor and 7th Avenue crossing to Zero Point).

However, what is raising eyebrows is the cost, which has been agreed upon, for this additional work. The CDA has agreed to pay the same rates (72 per cent more than the original CDA estimate) that it had agreed to pay for the interchange.

At the time when the contract for the interchange had been awarded, it was argued that such a high cost was justified as an interchange involved bridges and that required more use of expensive construction material such as steel. However, this justification cannot be given for the additional work that is only a 16 kilometre- long road on flat ground.

Observers point out that the contracts awarded for the construction of roads are much cheaper. It is noteworthy that the construction of this extra 16 kilometres has pushed up the total cost of the interchange from Rs2.3 to Rs3 billion.

What adds to the controversy is that earlier this year the CDA had considered this project and the costs and turned it down. Former member engineering of the CDA, Tahir Shamshad, had opposed the move to get the additional work done at the same rates.

A second related controversy, sources tell Dawn , is that CDA did not need to award this second contract to the Maqbool Associates; under the rules, this contract could have gone to any other company.

The reason for this additional work was felt after the project began. Originally Maqbool Associates had said it would construct 800 feet long 10 lanes that would lead to the four entry/exit points of the interchange. These four points connected the interchange to the Faisal Mosque in the north, Faizabad in the south, Peshawar Mor in the west and Aabpara Market in the east. After the project was started, CDA realised that after 800 feet, the 10 lanes would be reduced to a double road and that this may cause traffic congestion in the long run. At this stage, it was decided to build an extra 16 kilometres long eight-lane road.

Once the decision was taken, the bids were then invited and the contract was won by Maqbool Associates just recently.

Zero Point is one of the busiest traffic points in Islamabad and the project was initiated to address the traffic congestion there.

However, it appears that the projects have been bogged down in one controversy after another from the start. Just recently, the firm halted the work due to 'non payment of dues' by the CDA and resumed it only after it received Rs120 million from the authority. And about two weeks ago, it informed the authority that Maqbool Associates would not be able to meet the deadline of completing the project on August 14 because of the shortage of funds.