KALAT – QUETTA – CHAMAN ROAD PROJECT (SECTION 2 & 4) QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORT # 02 JAN - MARCH 2015

The project starts near Kalat city and ends at Chaman, a border town close to Afghanistan. The road traverses through the districts of Kalat, Mastung, Quetta, Pishin, and Qila Abdullah. The project was initially started in 2006 by the National Highway Authority (NHA), Ministry of Communication and Works, Government of Pakistan (GoP), with a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The road was divided into four sections for execution purposes: Kalat-Khad Kocha, Khad Kocha-Quetta, Quetta-Jungle Piralizai, and Jungle Piralizai-Chaman. Sections 1 and 3, covering 120 km, were completed in 2010. However, the remaining sections, 2 and 4, covering 111 km, could only be partially completed due to the worst law and order situation and subsequent expiry of the ADB loan. With an assurance of funding of US$ 90 million by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in October 2013, the NHA assigned the balance works in sections 2 and 4 to M/s Frontier Works Organization (FWO) on an EPC lump sum basis in March 2014. The formal contract agreement between NHA and FWO was signed on June 02, 2014. USAID has allocated US$ 63.79 million under a Project Implementation Letter signed on May 12, 2014. At the end of the reporting quarter (January-March 2015), the status of the project was as follows: Khad Kocha-Quetta Section-2 (length 54 km) had a physical progress of 76.09%, with 88% completion of Asphaltic Concrete Base Course (ACBC) and 81% completion of Asphaltic Concrete for Wearing Course (ACWC). Culverts construction was in progress at seven locations, with 44% physical progress on construction of Box culverts and 44% on Pipe culverts. Construction of retaining walls was in progress, with 96% work completed. Jangle Piralizai-Chaman Section-4 (length 57 km) had a physical progress of 56.24%, with 54% completion of Asphaltic Concrete Base Course (ACBC) and 47% completion of Asphaltic Concrete for Wearing Course (ACWC). Culverts construction was in progress at five locations, with 40% physical progress on construction of Box culverts and 79% on Pipe culverts. Construction of retaining walls was in progress, with 59% work completed. The accrued expenditure for the project was US$ 16.83 million until the end of the reporting quarter, out of which US$ 7.296 million was certified. The accrued expenditure for Jangle Piralizai-Chaman Section-4 was US$ 23.44 million, out of which US$ 7.764 million was certified. Several issues and actions were identified during the reporting quarter, including the impact of inclement weather on physical progress, the need for a revised work plan from the contractor, and the implementation of Quality Control Protocol (QCP). The NHA and FWO were advised to consult pavement experts on the matter of laying new Asphalt Concrete Wearing Course (ACWC) over the existing Asphaltic Base Course (ACBC). Additionally, the matter of replacing Flexible pavement on Khojak Pass with Rigid pavement was discussed, and it was decided that the design of additional works as prioritized would be completed.