Construction Monitoring & Evaluation Program (Strengthening & Improvement of Peshawar – Torkham Road, Khyber Agency)

The project is part of the National Highway (N-5) and plays a crucial role in economic activities and providing logistical support to security agencies in the Khyber Agency. The project was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) with an initial allocation of $67 million, later increased to $87 million. The project is implemented by the FATA Secretariat and executed through the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) under the FARA contracting mode of USAID. FWO is responsible for the design and construction of the project, conforming to the National Highway Authority's (NHA) specifications and standard engineering practices. NESPAK provides design and control services to FWO, while AGES Consultants is entrusted with construction monitoring and evaluation services, including quality assurance and environmental monitoring on behalf of USAID. The PTR project spans 46 kilometers and has been divided into multiple sections for designing and construction purposes. The project is divided into eight packages, with each package having a specific scope of work and allocated amount. The project completion date is September 30, 2016. As of July 2016, the project has achieved a physical progress of 99.98%, with a total accrual of $85,839,468 out of the allocated amount of $85,856,984. Minor finishing works are in progress at a slow pace in Section 7 and 9. The completion of pending works by FWO is a matter of concern, as the milestone at serial # i, Section IV - IX, worth $440,208, has not been completed. The FATA Secretariat has requested FWO to complete the pending works as soon as possible, but FWO has not yet started work on the remaining milestone. Six sections of the PTR have been handed over to the NHA, while sections 7/8 and 9 are scheduled to be handed over on September 8 and October 5, 2016, respectively. Pavement distresses have been observed due to overloaded vehicles in some locations, which requires the attention of NHA. Traffic safety regulations on the PTR are poor, resulting in a rise in traffic fatal accidents caused by vehicles' greater travel speeds. The utility of the weighbridge station at Km 7+500 is not being utilized effectively, as it is mainly used as an ATM by the NHA and not for the intended purpose of minimizing premature road deterioration. The project's financial progress is satisfactory, with a total accrual of $85,839,468 out of the allocated amount of $85,856,984. The project's physical progress is also satisfactory, with a total progress of 99.98%. The project's implementation is being monitored and evaluated by AGES Consultants, which is responsible for quality assurance and environmental monitoring on behalf of USAID. The project's completion date is September 30, 2016, and it is expected to be completed within the allocated timeframe.