ISLAMABAD, Sep 12 (ABC): Sindh has made significant progress in restoring flood-damaged road infrastructure, completing 14 out of 17 new bridges and repairing 16 out of 24 bridges under a major rehabilitation project.
According to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the Sindh component of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)-financed Emergency Flood Assistance Project (EFAP) covers the rehabilitation of roads, bridges and culverts damaged by floods.
The project brief shows that contractors have blacktopped 732 kilometres of the 829 kilometres of roads included in the revised project scope. The road network comprises 41 roads divided into 17 packages, with nine packages now substantially complete.
Bridges, culverts record major progress
The project has also made substantial progress on bridges and drainage infrastructure. Of the 17 new bridges planned, contractors have completed 14, including the Tangwani Bridge in Kashmore district.
They have also completed repairs to 16 of the 24 bridges covered by the project.
Meanwhile, contractors have completed 920 of the 996 new culverts planned under the project. They have also repaired 461 of the targeted 505 culverts.
Project cost revised to Rs60.05bn
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) originally approved the project on December 6, 2022. At that stage, the project carried a total cost of Rs48.4 billion, equivalent to $220 million.
The original financing included an ADB share of Rs43.974 billion, or $199.9 million. The Sindh government was to contribute Rs4.425 billion, equivalent to $20.1 million.
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) recommended a revised PC-I to ECNEC on February 6, 2026. The revised project carries a total cost of Rs60.053 billion, equivalent to $212.20 million.
Under the revised financing plan, ADB will provide Rs52.067 billion, or $183.98 million. The Sindh government’s share stands at Rs7.986 billion, equivalent to $28.21 million.
Road rehabilitation scope expanded
Under the original framework, the project aimed to rehabilitate 400 kilometres of roads. This target was outlined in ADB’s Project Administration Manual issued in November 2022.
Subsequently, an ADB field mission finalised 849 kilometres of roads for rehabilitation. The revised PC-I now covers 829 kilometres.
With 732 kilometres already blacktopped, the project has completed asphalt-wearing work on about 88% of the road length covered by the revised scope.
