King Abdullah University of AJK : Site handed over to builder at long last

By Tariq Naqash

At long last, possession of a site, acquired near here for the construction of Saudi government sponsored King Abdullah University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, has been handed over to a builder after issuance of Acceptance Letter (work order) in its favour on Tuesday.

M/S Samboo and Sarco, a joint venture (JV) of Korean and Pakistani firms, got the contract of Rs 5.62 billion project after being chosen for the job by the donor agency – Saudi Fund for Development, according to officials.

At the project site, located some 20 kilometres south of here along Muzaffarabad-Kohala Road in Chattar Klas, officials of the Saudi Fund for Development and Kuwait Fund (SFD&KF) Projects (a unit established by the AJK government to execute the projects sponsored by the two brotherly nations) as well as the AJK University formally handed over documents of land to the representatives of the construction company in a cheerful atmosphere.

Acquisition of the 1000 kanal site as well as payment of permanent and temporary structures and trees thereon to the owners has cost the government some Rs 450 million.

On January 26, the AJK Supreme Court had held that selection of the builder from any of the four bidders, which were technically qualified by the project consultant, should be left on the discretion of the donor.

The apex court had arrived at this decision while hearing an appeal filed by the Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (Erra) against a December 30, 2010, judgment of the AJK High Court which had directed Erra to award the construction contract to M/S Paragon-Principal, a joint venture of Karachi-based companies, for being the lowest bidder.

The Supreme Court had however directed that the entire process must be completed by February 28 so that the construction work on the site of the already delayed project could commence on March 1.

According to Mansoor Qadir Dar, Project Director SFD&KF Projects, the technical and financial proposals and other relevant documents of all four bidders, which had been pre-qualified, were provided to the donor agency which had given its ‘No Objection Certificate’ in the favour of M/S Samboo and Sarco.

It was after that NOC, the Project Steering Committee of Erra had decided to issue the Acceptance Letter (Letter of Award) to the said company, he added.

The builder, which has recently constructed 4 giant official blocks in the New Civil Secretariat Muzaffarabad, had already mobilized its survey teams to the project site which had initiated soil investigation and other geotechnical studies, Mr Dar said.

The estimated completion period of the project was three years but Attaur Rehman, a representative of the construction company, told this scribe that they would try their best to complete it before the stipulated time “to the entire satisfaction of the donors.”

Ends