FWO's Newsletter for the second quarter of 2004 is here. FWO has substantial progress in the execution of projects of national and strategic importance. by the grace of Almighty Allah, a stage has come which should make you all proud and happy. There are approximately 50 projects under execution worth Rs. 35 billion, which also include mega projects. FWO is executing projects of railways, services / civil construction projects and has undertaken construction of Al-Shifa Eye Hospital at Kohat. FWO has ventured into highly technical and diversified projects in the fiedl of telcommunication. The first project of laying of Fibre Optic for NTC (National Telecommunication Corporation) in the series has started. FWO has been awarded three long haul Fibre Optic Projects of PTCL, work on these projects is likely to commence shortly.

FWO known for being the trendsetter has entered to the first BOT Project of its kind in Pakistan. BOT project of Lahore-Sheikhupura-Faisalabad dual carriage-way has finally become a reality. All formalities in ths regard have been completed and physically, the work on the project ha commenced in 1st week of April 04.

Government of Punjab has taken this initiative to built this extremely important road with enhanced specifications to cater for the present as well as future traffic requirements. To encourage public/private sector partnership, this road is planned to be constructed on Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) concept through a road building operating company. FWO as a leading organisation has constituted Lahore-Faisalabad Company (Pvt) Ltd (LAFCO) for construction of this road.

Work for development of G-13 sector islamabad has also been awarded to FWO by CDA. Physical work at site has commenced.

Editor

The ground-breaking ceremony of three projects of Northern Area Roads was performed by President of Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf on 29 Aug 2001. FWO undertook this challenging task and completed the work on Skardu Deosai Chilum Chowki Road having 85 KM length. Work on Ghizer Valley Road having length of 188 KM has also been completed. Both these roads have been handed over to sponsors.

The work on 102 KM Thalichi - Chilum Chowki Road was hampered due to earthquakes, floods, heavy rainsand snowfall. FWO still managed to complete 81 KM Rd while remaining work is in progress and expected to be completed by this working season. Completion of these roads will improve the standard of living of the people and enhance the tourist inflow into the region.

KKH is not only the life-line for the inhabitants of Northern Areas but is also a very important logistic route for the defence forces deployed in the areas. The Karakoram Higway was constructed in 1978 from Havelian to Khunjerab. The KKH constantly experiences landslides, mudflows, earthquakes, avalanches and flash floods damage the road. To keep th road open under such conditions throughout the year, entails a Herculean effort by FWO. During this quarter 537866 cum slides/mudflow was cleared, 120 KM of shoulders reparied, 168084 RM choked drains were opened and 2801 choked culverts were cleared.

The construction of Mansehra - Naran - Jalkhad Road (MNJ) was entrusted to FWO by NHA during July 1997. The road has a lot of significance and importance for tourism, besides its strategic importance of linking Neelum Valley with Karakoram Highway. Mansehra - Naran - Jalkhad Road is 162 KM long. The road from Mansehra to Naran 122 KM has been completed out of which 80 KM of road has been handed over to NHA.

DG FWO Maj Gen Shahid Niaz visited Northern Areas Roads on 11 May 2004. He was briefed on the progress of work on Mansehra - Naran - Jalkhad Road Project.

Work on Naran Jalkhad (NJ) Section 40 KM long portion is is full swing and over all 40% progress has been achieved.

This project is rehabilitation and improvement of D.I.Khan - Mughalkot Road between Zhob and D.I.Khan. NHA sponsored this project at a revised estimated cost of Rupees 1.773 billion. The proect commenced in March 2000 and is expected to be completed inJune 2005. The Length of this project is 124 KM. The existing road was a single lane carriageway now being upgraded into two lane carriageway. So far embankment of 121.765 KM, base course 108.26 KM, TST 98.75 KM, 4 bridges and 250 culverts have completed. This road links, DK Khan District and FATA through the Koh-e-Salman Range providing and inter provincial link between NWFP and Balochistan. This road will play a significant role in future for development of the area.

NHA awarded the work to FWO for improvement and rehabilitation of Nuttal - Sibi road in April 2000 with an estimated cost of Rupees 1504.245 Million. The length of this project is 81 KM but later 5 KM length of Dera Allah Yar - Nuttal project was also annexed with this portion. The area is barren, sparsely populated with extreme weather conditions. This project has undergone lot of redesigning and changes in its specifications and finally it has been proposed as a dual carriageway. However with all these impediants, the work on project is full swing and expected to be completed by September 2005.

Renovation/Re-Construction of Multan General Bus Stand Complex
Construction of Multan General Bus Stand complex has been assigned to FWO by Tehsil Municipal Administration Multan City at an estimated cost of 78.770 Million. This project commenced in September 2003 and will be completed by September 2005 as per schedule.

Exisiting Railway track being single and incapable of taking the traffic load, dualization of track Lodhran - Multan - Khanewal has been started to ensure smooth flow of railway traffic. Pakistan Railway sponsored this project with an estimated cost of Rupees 220.1996 Million. The project was undertaken by FWO in May 2003. The total length of this track is 119 KM SherShah - Lodhran and 49 KM Multan - Khanewal sections. The project is expected to be completed within due date.

President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf carried out the ground breaking ceremony of Liari - Ormara Section in July 2000. The length of this road is 243 KM having 28 bridges and 742 culverts. The work on this important project has been completed with a cost of Rupees 3.906 Billion in June 2003 and handed over to the sponsor. Later, work on double surface treatment shoulders, having 3 M width on either side was entrusted to FWO. The same has also been completed. Unprecedented rains / flood of August 203 damaged the road structure at number of places. The rehabilitation works on damaged portions alongwith construction of 2 bridges and 10 culverts have completed as per new design / specifications.

The work on Pasni-Gwadar was entrusted to FWO at a cost of Rupees 2.888 Billion. Asphalt work on entire length of 132.7 KM along with 15 bridges and 438 culverts has been completed and handed over to sponsor. Some protective and drainage work is progressing will and will be completed in due course of time.

The work on this mega project worth Rupees 5.099 Billion (revised) started in May 2002 in Karachi city to facilitate smooth flow of traffic, linking Karachi port with Super Highway on both sides of Lyari River, having a length of 37.047 KM (including 4.89 KM interchanges ramps). Despite all the hindrances and frictions such as encroachments and rehabilitation of effected people by concerned authorities, FWO is working at an adequate pace. So far 12 KM length has been handed over to FWO for execution. A total of 4.10 KM embankment, 3.20 KM sub base, aggregate base have been completed, alongwith that work on the reinforced portion is also gaining pace. Three bridge out of 16 bridges have been overhead bridges is in progress. 14 box culverts out of 56 and 4 pipe culverts out of 43 have been completed, Work on Sohrab Goth, Manghopir, Sir Shah Suleman and Maripur interchanges is progressing well.

Export Promotion Zone has awarded this project to FWO through NHA at a cost of Rupees 597.908 Million for upgradation of industrial area road between Jam Sadiq Bridge to Dawood Chowrange i.e. Shahra-e-Darul Aloom. Communication Minister Mr. Baber Khan Ghori performed the ground break ceremony on 6th April, 2004. This road is 11.6 KM long and 11 Metre wide. The survey has been completed, grubbing and encroachments of the area are being removed. The work on the project will start soon.

Al-Shifa Trust is the sponsor of this project. Work on the project started in April 2003 at a cost of Rs. 101.17 Million and is expected to be completed in March 2005. The project has total covered area of 1,11.500 square feet, it includes 8 operation theatres and one hundred beds for the patients. The progress achieved on the project is 55.61 percent. Founder Chairman Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital Lt Gen (Retd) Jehandad Khan alongwith DG FWO Maj Gen Shahid Niaz visited the project site on 22 April 2004, and were briefed about the progress of the project.

Frontier Works Organisation was awarded the construction work of 2 bridges on IJ Principal Road Islamabad between Pirwadhai turning on Peshawar Road and Faizabad Interchange. Bridge No. 1 at Pirwadhai is a single span 15 M long structure with an estimated cost of Rs. 32.112 Million. Bridge No. 2 over Nullah Lieh is five span 90 M long structure with an estimated cost of Rs. 73.216 Million. The work on both bridges started on 14 October 2003 under the supervision of CDA staff. The progress of the work is quite satisfactory, on bridge No. 1, 60% work has been completed. More over 8 Girders 15 M long have been launched. On bridge no 2, 56% work has been completed, and 40 Girders M long have been launchged. As such this bridge should be completed within the schedule time.

This project was given to FWO by DW&CE (Air) at the cost of 31.452 Million. The work on project stated on 15 December 2003 and completed on 27 April 2004 and handed over to PAF.

City Government Sialkot had entrusted this project to FWO with an estimated cost of Rs. 583.235 Million. The project has 34.813 KM length of road network in different parts of city which include Defence Rd, Kashmir Rd, Shahab Rd, Khadim Ali Rd, Circular Rd, Rengpura Rd and Haji Pura Rd. The work on few p[arts of footpath and drain on Haji Pura Rd is in progress and overall progress of the work is 98.448%. DG FWO Maj Gen Shahid Niaz visited the project site on 14 JUne 2004.

City Governmetn Gujranwala is the sponsor of this project which has an estimated cost of Rs. 30.283 Million. The work on project started in August 2001 but it was suspended due to administrative reasons. Now the work has been resumed. The progress of work upto June is 48.970% and will be completed by the revised time schedule.

This project is sponsored by Punjab Small Industries Corporation. The total cost of the project is Rs. 81.760% Million and it started in March 2004. FWO has to complete this project in March 2005. The progress of the work is 9.22%.

This project started in July 1999 with an estimated cost of Rs. 860 Million. The project has 68.298 KM of city roads. Teh progress of work is 99% and it is expected to be completed with in the stipulated time.

LAFCO (Pvt) Limited formed by a consortium of leading construction companies, Frontier Works Organisation (FW)), Khalid Rauf & Co (Pvt) Limited, Habib Rafiq (Pvt) Limited and Sachal Engineering Works, is undertaking the first Built, Operate and Transfer (BOT) project in the province of Punjab by constructing 115.5 KM Lahore-Sheikhupura-Faisalabad dual carriageway at a cost of approximately Rs. 4 Billion in three years. The project will benefit more than 1000 large industrical units and serve the population of 15.5 Million in the area. This will not only accelerate further economic activity in the area but also provide greater employment opportunities for the local population and improve their standard of living. This project is expected to be completed by April 2007. The project is being financed by a consortium of Habib Bank Limited, National Bank of Pakistan and Army Welfare Trust.

The contract for development of sector G-13 has been awarded to the Frontier Works Organization. Federal Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayyat while launching the development works in the sector sated that FWO had proved its credibility in completing the mega projects in the country even before time, meeting the norms of execllent quality of work. He urged the government to award the contracts of all the mega projects across the country to FWO in future.

FWO was awarded the project of constructing six roads by Capital Development Authority i.e. Third lane on both sides of the Faizabad - Zero Point dual carriageway, Third avenue from Murree Road to Quaid-e-Azam University, Dualization of Khayaban-e-Iqbal in sector F-5, F-6, F-9 and construction works on road from Constitution Avenue to Margalla Avenue on May 2004 with an estimated cost of Rs. 290.315 Million. The overall progress of these roads upto June is 9.469%. CDA has also entrusted the project of dualization of park road to FWO, worth Rs 125.460 Million and the progress of this work is 7.68%.

There has been a very fast development in the field of telecommunication in Pakistan. FWO has recently diversified its activities in into field of telecommunication and has undertaken the project of laying of under ground fibre optical cable in Rawalpindi and surrounding area. Following projects have also been acquired / are under acquisition :-

Projects Acquired

• Optical Fibre Connectivity in Rawalpindi and surrounding Area (40 Kms)
• Optical Fibre Connectivity from Peshawar to Landi Kotal (98 Kms)
• Optical Fibre Connectivity from Islamabad to Murree (58 Kms)
• Optical Fibre Connectivity from Shinkiari to Dasu (202 Kms)

Engineer-in-Chief Pakistan Army Lt Gen Mohammad Zubair visited HQ FWO on 10 June 2004, to chair the FWO Project Board Meeting. During the meeting Mega projects under taken by FWO and other policy matters were discussed. the board appreciated the quality and in time completion of projects. The board was satisfied with the overall performance of FWO.

DG FWO Maj Gen Shahid Niaz visited the construction site of six major roads in the federal capital on 12 June 2004. During his visit he showed briefed about the progress of work. DG showed his satisfaction over the quality of work being done.

Despite its orientation towards construction activites, FWO still remains an Army formation with specific roles during peace and war. Like any other Army formation it has its share of inspections to assess its readiness for its assigned duties. During the quarter under review Engineer-in-Chief and his staff, carried out administration inspection of HQ FWO and its units located in Rawalpindi in order to assess their fitness for war. The inspection team carried out detailed inspection of all aspects of FWO's working, its office routines, physical fitness of troops, Army training schedules and its readiness for war. The inspection team was highly appreciative of the standards of training and administration attainted by FWO.

At the end of each quarter a group commanders conference is held to discuss policy mattes and progress achieved on various projects. Any problems being faced by the groups in execution of projects are also discussed.

This is also an occassion for setting targets and chalking out strategies in the future. This conference is attended by commanders and staff officers of the Groups and Headquarter FWO. This conference was held on 27 May 2004.