ISLAMABAD: Following public outcry, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday formed an inquiry committee to probe the collapse of girders of the Bhara Kahu flyover.
The committee is headed by former secretary (interior) Shahid Khan and it is tasked to compile a report immediately.
A statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) states that no negligence will be tolerated, adding that the PM had issued directions for the identification of those responsible for the accident.
Meanwhile, sources said that the Interior Ministry on Friday got details about officials, contractors and labourers engaged in the project from Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The Bhara Kahu bypass project saw the second tragedy within a week’s time on Thursday when five girders of the flyover collapsed, apparently due to flaws, raising question marks on the stability of the structure.
Earlier, the same flyover project, saw the collapse of the under-construction transom on Saturday killing two labourers. The mega project worth Rs6.5 billion is being executed by National Logistics Cell (NLC).
On Wednesday, four girders were launched and they collapsed on Thursday during placement of the fifth 45-metre-long girder. The CCTV footage showed that the girder collapsed, hitting the adjacent four as well and within seconds all five fell to the ground.
PM wants those responsible for negligence identified; details about labourers, contractors compiled by interior ministry
This incident has 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 the 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 PC-I, was an irrational and unrealistic 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 to the CDA chairman if he would get the project completed quickly.
Later on, 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 from Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). Then, the faculty of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) also raised objections to this project as a portion of the project crosses through QAU’s 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.
Meanwhile, CDA officials and former chairman retired Capt Mohammad Usman and his successor Noorul Amin Mengal made a number of visits to inspect the project site to ensure the timely completion of the project.
Sources said that construction is being carried out amid running traffic, adding that the government wanted to see the completion of this project by March 23.
Another source said after the said two incidents, the undue pressure for completion of this project has to some extent been released.
Explaining the reasons for the first incident, the source said that at least two 22-wheeler vehicles overloaded with hay hit the transom on Saturday — hours before its collapse — because of congestion on the road.
In the early morning, labourers started to pour concrete into the structure and the T-shaped pillar — known as the transom — was being given final touches when the under-construction transom collapsed.
The latest incident of collapsing girders took place apparently because of faulty operation of launching girders on the reinforced cement concrete (RCC) pad but luckily no loss of life or property was reported.
Published in Dawn, March 4th, 2023
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