Engineers TV's video: Peshawar Aman Chowk Updates

Please watch: "Peshawar BRT new Updates" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GulUT2uoli4 --~-- PESHAWAR: Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project, commonly known as (BRT), is unlikely to be operational by its deadline of April 20 as the building package that includes construction of three huge infrastructures at Chamkani, Dabgari Gardens and Hayatabad, is yet to be approved. The main financier of the project, Asian Development Bank, has also hinted at the completion of these infrastructures in October in case work is started on it at once. The construction work on the building package and on the BRT corridor was supposed to start simultaneously, but it could not be initiated on time. This has strengthened the view that the entire BRT project cannot be completed according to its agreed timeline. The BRT building package has been divided into three lots. Lot-1 includes the bus depot, park and ride in Hayatabad. Lot-2 comprises the bus depot, park and ride, Trans Peshawar Office and BRT control centre in Chamkani. Lot-3 consists of staging facility, commercial area and park and ride in Dabgari Gardens. David Margonsztern, senior urban development specialist of the ADB in his communication with Alam Zeb, director Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Peshawar Development Authority (PDA), on March 8 presented detailed consolidated comment on bidding and initiation of work on the building package. The compunction has taken place in response to the request of the PDA to the ADB to review the Financial Bid Evaluation Report (FBER) for construction of building infrastructure (rebidding) of the three lots, seeking guidance to negotiate the rates for material and bid prices submitted by the contractors. The ADB consolidated comments shared with The News suggest that work on the BRT building component has to be completed in a very short time span simultaneously with the construction works of BRT corridor in April 2018. However, the ADB in its comments suggested that the “contract for works of the magnitude under the bid cannot realistically be completed (if at all commenced), nor did the bidding document contemplate such timelines. Actually, it (bidding) mentions time for completion in 180 days which would set completion to no earlier than October 2018.” The PDA had also requested the ADB to consider the hike in prices of the material than those given in the bids for the building package because the bidders have sought price premium. It also sought permission for holding negotiations with the contractors on the matter. However, the ADB wanted the PDA’s contention to be further clarified and substantiated, saying “such trend has not been observed in other bids in Pakistan.” The ADB asked the PDA to maintain and use the Engineer’s Estimate (EE) provided for Lot-1 as Rs1.810 million, Lot-2 Rs2,047 million and Lot-3 Rs2,242 million as the basis when it will hold negotiations with the builders and no price premium would be allowed under this package. It also asked the PDA to present a detailed price analysis to support any assessment of price reasonableness compared to the original EE which is to be maintained as the basis of the price analysis. It further mentioned that price difference with EE ranging from 34 to 77 percent submitted by the contractors is substantial, raising concerns about price reasonableness, especially in a context where there is no competition.