Karachi: Rs9 million stadium project abandoned

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Imtiaz Hussain
KHAIRPUR: After consuming millions of rupees the Khairpur Mini Stadium project has been abandoned, official sources said.

The transfer of Pakistan Cricket Board regional incharge Syed Abdul Hussain Shah was the reason, officials said, adding that after his transfer there was no one to vehemently pursue the completion of the cricket stadium.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in 2008 had signed an MoU with District Government Khairpur to establish a cricket stadium in Mumtaz Ground Khairpur at a cost of around Rs9 million.

The regional incharge PCB Syed Abdul Hussain Shah and Zila Nazim Khairpur had signed the Memorandum of Understanding and the PCB had invited tenders for execution of the work at Mumtaz Ground. PCB executed construction work from June 2008 up to February 2009.

PCB had spent Rs2 million on the turf pitch that was of national standard and for that they used 12 truckloads of soil from Gujranwala, which is internationally recognised for the turf pitch and also approved by Australian experts.

The project comprised five rooms, grassy ground, compound wall and stadium. PCB had appointed six employees for monitoring the project to ensure the quality of work.

Soon after the PPP government took power the project was abandoned and for the past five months the construction work on the ground has been stopped.

Interestingly, the Federal government has released Rs28 million for upgrading the Mini Stadium and the Luqman Hockey Ground. Moreover, the District Government Khairpur too has spent one million rupees on this project.

The local government had constructed the pavilion and compound wall at Mumtaz Ground Khairpur and later on PCB took interest and decided to make Mumtaz Ground fit for domestic cricket.

Concerned citizens of Khairpur have said that authorities must realise the importance of the projects and the planning department should conduct survey and ensure the feasibility of the projects instead of spending millions from taxpayers’ pockets and then abandoning the projects halfway for one reason or the other.

Citizens urged the government to contact PCB for ascertaining the reasons of the closure of the project and the allocated funds be utilised on the agreed project.

The citizens of Khairpur urged the PPP-led government to utilise funds on need-based projects.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=192241