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Twisted tale of a Rs15 bn twisted highway, approved in a hush
All of a sudden, the federal government has decided to build a long and zigzagging link road to the new international airport near Fateh Jang, costing over Rs15 bn, in violation of the Islamabad Master Plan, ignoring the original, straight, inexpensive and hassle-free access to the facility.
The approved link road, if built, would eat up the land between I and H sectors in the 14, 15, 16 and 17 series, earmarked in the Master Plan for the rail track.Top officials of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), National Highway Authority (NHA) and Planning Commission got their choice approach road approved by the competent authority.
However, the two main agencies — the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) — which are directly concerned with link roads, were neither invited to this briefing nor were they consulted. Moreover, the district government, Rawalpindi, has started acquiring a huge chunk of land for this purpose near the new airport.Concerted efforts were made for three days to get the versions of all the concerned departments. Some were forthcoming while others did not. By getting this link approved, the CAA also misinformed the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly as no such approach road figured in its comprehensive briefing and maps handed over to it on January 23 this year. This still figures on the PAC website. Interestingly every institution passes the buck on to other for this controversial approval and no one is ready to take the blame.
While the cost of the new airport has scandalously escalated to almost Rs100b from its original expenditure of Rs30b because of bureaucratic incompetence apart from the time wasted in completing the project, the approved link road would cause more burden on the public exchequer. The case of alleged corruption in the construction of the airport is already before the Supreme Court, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is probing it on its directions. The actual and shorter approach road that did not find even a mention in the briefing to the prime minister would cost just Rs1b.
The approved route has several unique features apart from the unprecedented heavy cost. It will have at least a four-kilometrs 24-feet high elevated structure starting from the Golra More on the Kashmir Highway near the CDA toll plaza that will pass by the Pakistan Army’s CMT&SD (Central Mechanical Transport & Stores Depot) to cross into I-14 Sector (Haji Camp), flying over the GT Road. Thousands of military personnel work at the CMT&SD. Then, the link will land on ground.
Second, this access will travel precisely two and a half kilometres inside the airport, close to its several key installations before reaching the parking lot. Third, it will be spread over 21 kilometres and the entire track will have to be constructed afresh. The CDA sectors extend to I & H 17 series. After that land would have to be acquired in the I & H 18 and 19 sectors for the new road, which would incur a heavy cost.
At present, Right of Way (RoW) of 600 feet is available between I & H sectors, which is meant for the rail track and principal and service roads as per the Master Plan. On this land, the approved access would be built. It is an established practice that a “highway” (the approved route has been so named) requires 1200 feet RoW. If this was done, these sectors would have to be shortened, which would entail cancellation of plots of those who were allotted the same several years ago.
On the other hand, just a small portion of four kilometres, starting from the Motorway Zero Point Interchange, will be required to be constructed afresh if the original approach was chosen. Till that point the rest of the Kashmir Highway is already built. The ongoing expansion of the Kashmir Highway till the GT Road will be sufficient to bear the heavy load of the airport traffic.
In this case, no major land acquisition is involved. Of the 4kms portion that will built afresh, the two housing town, through which the link road is to pass, have already committed to the NHA free-of-cost and for 2km portion, touching them. However, land would have to be acquired for the remaining 2km portion, which doesn’t involve any high cost. In addition, this link road will land direct in the parking area without passing by any key airport installation.
An argument to attract the prime minister that was given by those who briefed him was that the link road that helps the government recover the huge cost incurred by it on constructing the airport by creating an expansive commercial area (RoW) along it and selling it to the private sector to construct hotels and shopping area, and that the owners of the housing towns should not benefit from the new airport in any way.
But they have no answer to the question that what crime the private town developers committed by investing billions in the area several years before the actual building work of the airport started.
While the government has failed to manage its vast state land, it wants to earn money at the cost of the private sector. It is a general practice that investors tend to buy land near planned airports, bus terminals and other government facilities.
Interestingly, the approved link would again pass through one of these housing towns, which is being threatened with cancellation of the NOC, given by the RDA long time ago, if it did not surrender land to the CAA for the new access. The owners of the two towns say they have got all the necessary permissions from the RAD over the past 10 years, and have even executed registry of the required land in its name.
A few years back, all stakeholders and relevant government departments, including the NHA, CDA, CAA and the representatives of the housing towns reached an agreement in black and white on the RoW, along the actual link road. Not only that they also consented to the heights of the multi-storeyed buildings.
Another argument given by the opponents of the original route was that the third runway was to be built, which could not be if this approach was constructed. However, it is stated that while the cost of the construction of the airport has already gone out of control, the new runway, which might be built after two decades, would require hefty funds. Even this future runway comes into being, the actual link in no way interferes with it. For aircraft engine thrust, underground crossings have been made like in Sydney, Singapore, Germany and several other countries of the world.
As is generally believed, such link roads are not created without certain interests relating to the land surrounding them. Speculation has it that this fact exists in the instant case as well, but it is yet to be ascertained.
Insiders say that engineering experts within different departments, which are concerned with designing and constructing the approved approach road, are at a loss over the decision and are hesitant to accept it.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Aviation Shujaat Azeem was sent a questionnaire which was replied through a one liner. The reply reads: “Please, contact planning division and NHA for the desired questions as all the options were prepared and the most suitable was chosen”.
Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Ahsan Iqbal, while talking to The News said that the Planning Commission has nothing to do with the proposed route as it is a brain child of NHA and CAA. “The Planning Commission has only given its input regarding the right of way which should be acquired on both sides of the road as there should be enough land that if in future there is any commercial activity, the main beneficiary should be the government,” said the Planning Commission deputy chairman adding: “I do not know about the alignment of new route but we have only told CAA and NHA that whichever oute is built, there must be enough right of way on both sides of it.”
The spokesman of Capital Development Authority, while giving CDA’s version, said that the civic authority will not let the Master Plan of the capital. He, however, maintained that it is the planning department of CDA which is dealing this issue. The CDA, a few weeks ago gave a written version to The News which reads: “The most workable / practical route linking the new Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIAP) with Rawalpindi and Islamabad is through the Kashmir Highway, which links the Motorway Link Road up to Zero Point of Pakistan Motorway. Another additional 04 Kilometres road is to be built to connect new BBIAP from this point onward. The CDA, in anticipation of the traffic from the new BBIAP on to the Kashmir Highway, has already started widening of the Kashmir Highway.”
The Rawalpindi Development Authority Director General, when contacted, said that the RDA was not invited in the briefing. However, he maintained that the RDA is invited to the other meetings held by the CAA regarding construction of the access link. Jamshaid Aftab, the RDA Director, who is well abreast of the issues related to the construction of road from new airport to the twin cities when contacted said that he attended a meeting on March 12, 2014, in which the RDA emphasized of linking the Kashmir Highway with the new airport but now he has only heard that a new route has been proposed and approved.
“We will have to see the alignment of new route and then would give our input,” said the director adding: “As of today, we stick to our view of linking the already built Kashmir Highway with the new airport.”
Muhammad Ali Gerdaizi, the Secretary Aviation/Chairman CAA Board, when contacted for his views, said that it was the NHA, which has briefed the competent authority and not the CAA and it (CAA) has no link with the construction of road. He held that the NHA’s surveyors brought their maps and discussed some proposed routes, and one was approved, but the NHA sought more time to finalize it. “It was discussed that the road to such a big airport should not pass through small streets and houses, instead, it should be a highway,” Gerdaizi said. He maintained that in his personal view, this road should be a highway and not a street passage.
The NHA Chairman, Shahid Ashraf Tarar, was tried to be contacted for three consecutive days but was not available for his comments. The News sent a questionnaire through fax to his office at fax number 051-9260404. His personal assistant (on 051-9260417) confirmed to The News that the fax was received and placed before the NHA chairman on Wednesday but was never responded.
Twisted tale of a Rs15 bn twisted highway, approved in a hush - thenews.com.pk
chalo bacho Islamabad bhi giya, ab wahan bhi ajeeb o gareeb roads banay gi...
All of a sudden, the federal government has decided to build a long and zigzagging link road to the new international airport near Fateh Jang, costing over Rs15 bn, in violation of the Islamabad Master Plan, ignoring the original, straight, inexpensive and hassle-free access to the facility.
The approved link road, if built, would eat up the land between I and H sectors in the 14, 15, 16 and 17 series, earmarked in the Master Plan for the rail track.Top officials of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), National Highway Authority (NHA) and Planning Commission got their choice approach road approved by the competent authority.
However, the two main agencies — the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) — which are directly concerned with link roads, were neither invited to this briefing nor were they consulted. Moreover, the district government, Rawalpindi, has started acquiring a huge chunk of land for this purpose near the new airport.Concerted efforts were made for three days to get the versions of all the concerned departments. Some were forthcoming while others did not. By getting this link approved, the CAA also misinformed the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly as no such approach road figured in its comprehensive briefing and maps handed over to it on January 23 this year. This still figures on the PAC website. Interestingly every institution passes the buck on to other for this controversial approval and no one is ready to take the blame.
While the cost of the new airport has scandalously escalated to almost Rs100b from its original expenditure of Rs30b because of bureaucratic incompetence apart from the time wasted in completing the project, the approved link road would cause more burden on the public exchequer. The case of alleged corruption in the construction of the airport is already before the Supreme Court, and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is probing it on its directions. The actual and shorter approach road that did not find even a mention in the briefing to the prime minister would cost just Rs1b.
The approved route has several unique features apart from the unprecedented heavy cost. It will have at least a four-kilometrs 24-feet high elevated structure starting from the Golra More on the Kashmir Highway near the CDA toll plaza that will pass by the Pakistan Army’s CMT&SD (Central Mechanical Transport & Stores Depot) to cross into I-14 Sector (Haji Camp), flying over the GT Road. Thousands of military personnel work at the CMT&SD. Then, the link will land on ground.
Second, this access will travel precisely two and a half kilometres inside the airport, close to its several key installations before reaching the parking lot. Third, it will be spread over 21 kilometres and the entire track will have to be constructed afresh. The CDA sectors extend to I & H 17 series. After that land would have to be acquired in the I & H 18 and 19 sectors for the new road, which would incur a heavy cost.
At present, Right of Way (RoW) of 600 feet is available between I & H sectors, which is meant for the rail track and principal and service roads as per the Master Plan. On this land, the approved access would be built. It is an established practice that a “highway” (the approved route has been so named) requires 1200 feet RoW. If this was done, these sectors would have to be shortened, which would entail cancellation of plots of those who were allotted the same several years ago.
On the other hand, just a small portion of four kilometres, starting from the Motorway Zero Point Interchange, will be required to be constructed afresh if the original approach was chosen. Till that point the rest of the Kashmir Highway is already built. The ongoing expansion of the Kashmir Highway till the GT Road will be sufficient to bear the heavy load of the airport traffic.
In this case, no major land acquisition is involved. Of the 4kms portion that will built afresh, the two housing town, through which the link road is to pass, have already committed to the NHA free-of-cost and for 2km portion, touching them. However, land would have to be acquired for the remaining 2km portion, which doesn’t involve any high cost. In addition, this link road will land direct in the parking area without passing by any key airport installation.
An argument to attract the prime minister that was given by those who briefed him was that the link road that helps the government recover the huge cost incurred by it on constructing the airport by creating an expansive commercial area (RoW) along it and selling it to the private sector to construct hotels and shopping area, and that the owners of the housing towns should not benefit from the new airport in any way.
But they have no answer to the question that what crime the private town developers committed by investing billions in the area several years before the actual building work of the airport started.
While the government has failed to manage its vast state land, it wants to earn money at the cost of the private sector. It is a general practice that investors tend to buy land near planned airports, bus terminals and other government facilities.
Interestingly, the approved link would again pass through one of these housing towns, which is being threatened with cancellation of the NOC, given by the RDA long time ago, if it did not surrender land to the CAA for the new access. The owners of the two towns say they have got all the necessary permissions from the RAD over the past 10 years, and have even executed registry of the required land in its name.
A few years back, all stakeholders and relevant government departments, including the NHA, CDA, CAA and the representatives of the housing towns reached an agreement in black and white on the RoW, along the actual link road. Not only that they also consented to the heights of the multi-storeyed buildings.
Another argument given by the opponents of the original route was that the third runway was to be built, which could not be if this approach was constructed. However, it is stated that while the cost of the construction of the airport has already gone out of control, the new runway, which might be built after two decades, would require hefty funds. Even this future runway comes into being, the actual link in no way interferes with it. For aircraft engine thrust, underground crossings have been made like in Sydney, Singapore, Germany and several other countries of the world.
As is generally believed, such link roads are not created without certain interests relating to the land surrounding them. Speculation has it that this fact exists in the instant case as well, but it is yet to be ascertained.
Insiders say that engineering experts within different departments, which are concerned with designing and constructing the approved approach road, are at a loss over the decision and are hesitant to accept it.
Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Aviation Shujaat Azeem was sent a questionnaire which was replied through a one liner. The reply reads: “Please, contact planning division and NHA for the desired questions as all the options were prepared and the most suitable was chosen”.
Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Ahsan Iqbal, while talking to The News said that the Planning Commission has nothing to do with the proposed route as it is a brain child of NHA and CAA. “The Planning Commission has only given its input regarding the right of way which should be acquired on both sides of the road as there should be enough land that if in future there is any commercial activity, the main beneficiary should be the government,” said the Planning Commission deputy chairman adding: “I do not know about the alignment of new route but we have only told CAA and NHA that whichever oute is built, there must be enough right of way on both sides of it.”
The spokesman of Capital Development Authority, while giving CDA’s version, said that the civic authority will not let the Master Plan of the capital. He, however, maintained that it is the planning department of CDA which is dealing this issue. The CDA, a few weeks ago gave a written version to The News which reads: “The most workable / practical route linking the new Benazir Bhutto International Airport (BBIAP) with Rawalpindi and Islamabad is through the Kashmir Highway, which links the Motorway Link Road up to Zero Point of Pakistan Motorway. Another additional 04 Kilometres road is to be built to connect new BBIAP from this point onward. The CDA, in anticipation of the traffic from the new BBIAP on to the Kashmir Highway, has already started widening of the Kashmir Highway.”
The Rawalpindi Development Authority Director General, when contacted, said that the RDA was not invited in the briefing. However, he maintained that the RDA is invited to the other meetings held by the CAA regarding construction of the access link. Jamshaid Aftab, the RDA Director, who is well abreast of the issues related to the construction of road from new airport to the twin cities when contacted said that he attended a meeting on March 12, 2014, in which the RDA emphasized of linking the Kashmir Highway with the new airport but now he has only heard that a new route has been proposed and approved.
“We will have to see the alignment of new route and then would give our input,” said the director adding: “As of today, we stick to our view of linking the already built Kashmir Highway with the new airport.”
Muhammad Ali Gerdaizi, the Secretary Aviation/Chairman CAA Board, when contacted for his views, said that it was the NHA, which has briefed the competent authority and not the CAA and it (CAA) has no link with the construction of road. He held that the NHA’s surveyors brought their maps and discussed some proposed routes, and one was approved, but the NHA sought more time to finalize it. “It was discussed that the road to such a big airport should not pass through small streets and houses, instead, it should be a highway,” Gerdaizi said. He maintained that in his personal view, this road should be a highway and not a street passage.
The NHA Chairman, Shahid Ashraf Tarar, was tried to be contacted for three consecutive days but was not available for his comments. The News sent a questionnaire through fax to his office at fax number 051-9260404. His personal assistant (on 051-9260417) confirmed to The News that the fax was received and placed before the NHA chairman on Wednesday but was never responded.
Twisted tale of a Rs15 bn twisted highway, approved in a hush - thenews.com.pk
chalo bacho Islamabad bhi giya, ab wahan bhi ajeeb o gareeb roads banay gi...
