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Inquiry Commission fails to complete report on Bhara Kahu Bypass project
by MUHAMMAD ASAD CHAUDHRY June 26, 2023 in Regional, Islamabad
ISLAMABAD-An inquiry commission formed by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to probe the facts behind two consecutive accidents on under-construction Bhara Kahu Bypass project has failed to submit its report after three months.
The commission of inquiry was formed on 3rd of March 2023 by the premier after the collapse of girders of the Bhara Kahu flyover and collapse of the under-construction transom in which two labourers were killed. The commission is headed by former secretary (interior) Shahid Khan while a senior bureaucrat Anita Turab is its member. The commission in the meantime also co-opted two senior officers of the National Highway Authority to assist on technical side. It was directed by the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to complete the said investigation immediately by identifying the people responsible for the mishaps.
However, sources told that besides the utmost efforts by the former seasoned bureaucrat Shahid Khan, the inquiry report has yet to be finalised. A member of the inquiry commission has informed on the condition of anonymity that the officers of the Capital Development Authority and other agencies are cooperating but response to a questionnaire from the contractor is still awaited.
When contacted, the head of the inquiry commission Shahid Khan without commenting on delays in the completion of such a highly important inquiry has maintained that the inquiry report is ready but it needs some more work and it will be finalised shortly.
The mega project worth Rs6.5 billion is being executed by National Logistics Cell (NLC). In the first incident, the under-construction transom was collapsed killing two labourers and within a week five girders were collapsed during their launching.
The CCTV footage showed that the girder collapsed, hitting the adjacent four as well and within seconds all five fell to the ground.
This incident had raised question marks over the quality of work being carried out by NLC and consultant supervisors, as thousands of people on social media raised their voices against them.
The said project from day one, has been facing controversies. It was started on the direction of the federal government as besides widening of Expressway, it is a mega project which was started during the tenure of the incumbent government.
The government wanted to get it completed in ‘record time’. While, laying its foundation stone, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had directed the CDA to complete it within three months instead of four. Many officials believe that even four months time, as mentioned in the PC-I, was an irrational and un-realistic deadline.
The PM, over a month before laying the foundation stone of the project on Sept 30, had directed the CDA on Aug 14 to start the bypass project and complete it within three months time. He had also offered a medal for the CDA chairman, if he would get the project completed quickly.
Later, the PM laid the foundation stone of the project on Sept 30 and the project saw its first controversy when it transpired that, apparently to get an early start, the CDA had started the project without getting approval of Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).
Then, the faculty of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) also raised objections on this project as a portion of the project crosses through QAU land.
The QAU faculty had filed a case and got stay orders, which remained intact for almost two months and eventually, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) dismissed the petition.
The CDA had been stating that against 199 kanals, which fell in the right of way of QAU, the CDA had already issued offer letters to allot alternate 225 kanals to it. |
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