Lahore: PHA starts construction on 7 projects without advertising tenders

[Naveed Yaseen]

* PHA starts seven projects worth Rs 2.2 million
* Rules demand PHA should invite bids through newspapers
* PHA Task Force chairman says formalities will be fulfilled

By Nauman Tasleem

LAHORE: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has started construction work on seven projects worth Rs 2.2 million without advertising tenders in newspapers, sources told Daily Times on Saturday.

According to rules, the PHA should invite contractors through newspapers to bid for the projects. However, construction work on several roads is in full swing. Two out of the seven projects, have been completed. The photograph of an ongoing project on Jail Road has also appeared in several newspapers.

The seven projects include a fountain on the median of Mian Mir Bridge worth Rs 480,000; an ornamental pillar opposite Lahore Gymkhana worth Rs 172,000; a waterfall on Zafar Ali Road worth Rs 486,000; construction of a fountain on The Mall worth Rs 335,000; outer edge of the greenbelt from Mian Mir Bridge to Zafar Ali Road worth Rs 146,000; a fountain in front of Qurban Lines on Jail Road worth Rs 299,000.

A Rs 292,000 project has already been completed at Jail Road Cemetery. A sign of ‘PHA at work’ has been placed on The Mall. Sources said the use of cement to beautify the city was against the basic rules of horticulture.

Formalities: Talking to Daily Times, PHA Task Force Chairman Mustafa Kamal had no answer why the authority had not advertised tender in newspapers.

Kamal, brother of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Information Secretary Ahsan Iqbal said, “These are merely formalities and will be fulfilled soon.” He said he was committed to beautify the city roads. Under his supervision, he said, the PHA would beautify 32 roads of the city in several phases. The roads include Jail Road, Ferozepur Road, GT Road in front of University of Engineering and Technology, Allama Iqbal Road and Shahra-e-Aiwan-e-Tijarat. Kamal said the PHA would give preference to undeveloped areas like Gujjarpura, Tajpura and Sabzazar.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg13_1