Pakistan : NWFP Road Development Sector and Subregional Connectivity

Project Name

NWFP Road Development Sector and Subregional Connectivity

Project Number

36052-013

Country / Economy

• Pakistan

Project Status

Closed

Project Type / Modality of Assistance

• Loan

Source of Funding / Amount

Loan 2103-PAK: NWFP Road Development Sector and Subregional Connectivity

Source	Amount
Ordinary capital resources	US$ 296.20 million

Loan 2104-PAK: NWFP Road Development Sector and Subregional Connectivity

Source	Amount
Asian Development Fund	US$ 5.00 million

Strategic Agendas

• Regional integration

Drivers of Change

• Gender Equity and Mainstreaming
• Governance and capacity development

Sector / Subsector

• Transport / Road transport (non-urban)

Gender

Some gender elements

Description

The objectives of the project are to increase access of rural population in NWFP to social services and markets leading to improved livelihoods and poverty reduction, enhance efficiency of road network and transport in the province, and improve subregional cooperation and trade by facilitating road transport to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs). These objectives will be achieved through (i) policy reforms and institutional strengthening for provincial and district road agencies, (ii) improving about 700 km of rural access roads and 200 km of provincial highways, (iii) enhancement of subregional connectivity by improving about 300 km of national highways connecting Afghanistan border to the Karachi ports and developing border-crossing infrastructure, and (iv) improving road safety.

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy

Impact

Increase access of rural population to markets and social services in the province, leading to improved livelihoods.

Promote subregional cooperation with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs).

Improve governance, including support for the devolution program.

Project Outcome

Description of Outcome

Improve the reach, quality, and sustainability of the transport network in NWFP.

Improve transport corridor for landlocked Afghanistan and CARs to provide access to Pakistan ports.

Progress Toward Outcome

Overall project progress was 77% at the loan closing.

Implementation Progress

Description of Project Outputs

Improved Provincial Road Network

Improved provincial road network in NWFP

Capable provincial and district road agencies

Improved subregional transport corridor

Efficient cross-border facility

Road safety improved on national highways in the province

Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)

Provincial Highways, Rural Access Roads and National Highways Improved.

The revised scope for provincial road improvement included eleven packages (ICB) totaling 115 km. BERs of Eight packages totaling 76.9km roads including 10 bridges were approved in second/third quarter of 2008 after meeting LARP minimum requirements.

Scope of all these awarded contract has been completed. Although there were some delays in completion due to flood damages, however, all contracts were completed within the loan period.

All 57 planned RAR packages (457 km) have been awarded. 41 packages among the awarded contracts are completed, 6 are terminated, and work is still in progress on remaining 10 packages. Government will fund these incomplete sub-project by their own resources.

Some of the subprojects were suffered from delays due to security conditions in the areas, slow progress by the contractors, and the due to floods in August 2010.

Contracts for ICB packages 1, 2 and 3 (146 km) were signed on 26 Oct. 07, 9 Jan. 08 and 22 Dec. 06, respectively, contractors mobilized and implementation is in progress. Cumulative progress of all the three ICB packages is: ICB 1 = 97.0%, ICB 2 = 79.9%, and ICB 3 is substantially completed.

Contracts for ICB packages 1, 2 and 3 (146 km) were signed on 26 Oct. 07, 9 Jan. 08 and 22 Dec. 06, Cumulative progress of all the three ICB packages is: ICB 1 = 99.0%, ICB 2 = 87.%, and ICB 3 is substantially completed.

NHA will fund the remaining incomplete contracts by their own resources.

Road Safety Improved

The first ranked firm (sole proposer) citing security concerns in the Project area backed out during contract negotiations. The EA & IA expressed that there would not be enough time left to carry out another consultant recruitment exercise and therefore, it should be cancelled from the loan proceeds. The EA's request was received and the cancellation of $5 million was affected on 18 Aug. 08.

Security Conditions

Security situation and prolonged military operation in the project area had negative impact on the project progress.

Partial Loan Amount Canecelation

On the request of the Borrower partial cancellation of loan proceeds for uncommitted loan proceeds of FHA and NHA of $19.5 million and $22.63 million were effected on 14 and 29 June 2010, respectively.

Financial Loan Closure

Loan closing is planned to be closed effective 31 August 2011. Disbursement Unit PRM has processed all received WAs on 30 August 2011 and released to CTL(HQ) for further processing.

Geographical Location

Safeguard Categories

Environment

A

Involuntary Resettlement

Indigenous Peoples

Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects

Environmental Aspects

Involuntary Resettlement

Indigenous Peoples

Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation

During Project Design

During Project Implementation

Business Opportunities

Consulting Services

Consulting services, both international and domestic, will be required to assist the executing agencies in implementation of the Project. The consulting services will involve (i) assistance in policy and institutional reforms, road asset management, capacity building and project management, (ii) detailed engineering, bid preparations, assistance in procurement and construction supervision/contract administration for national highways, (iii) design and construction supervision for provincial highways and rural access roads, preparation of subproject proposals for rural access roads, including benefit monitoring and evaluation, and (iv) road safety. The consultants will also assist the executing agencies (EAs) in monitoring and verifying compliance of resettlement action plans and environment management plans.

Overall, the consulting services will include about 210 person-months of international input and about 4,600 person-months of domestic input.

All consultants financed under the Loan will be selected and engaged using ADB's quality and cost-based selection procedures for recruiting firms under full technical proposals and ADB's procedures for recruiting individual consultants in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants, and other arrangements acceptable to ADB for engaging domestic consultants.

NWFP's Works and Services Department (WSD) will be the EA for the consulting services at (i) and (iii), National Highway Authority (NHA) will be the EA for (ii), and Ministry of Communications will be the EA for (iv).

Procurement

Goods and related services and civil works will be procured in accordance with ADB's Guidelines for Procurement. All contracts for civil works and supply of equipment will be divided into suitable contract packages (about 12 ICB contract packages for national and provincial highways; 8 LCB contract packages for core rural roads and another 50 LCB contract packages for non-core roads that will be selected during implementation). The civil work contracts with an estimated value exceeding $3 million will be awarded following international competitive bidding procedures. Civil work contracts valuing $3 million or below will follow local competitive bidding procedures acceptable to ADB. Equipment will be procured for axle-load control, road safety, road asset management, material testing, training, etc. For equipment contracts in excess of $500,000, ICB procedures will be followed; for contracts ranging from $100,000 to $500,000, international shopping procedures will be used; and for contracts valued at less than $100,000, direct purchase procedures will be followed.

Contact

Responsible ADB Officer

Ning, Jiangbo

Responsible ADB Department

Central and West Asia Department

Responsible ADB Division

Pakistan Resident Mission (PRM)

Executing Agencies

Ministry of Communications

National Highway Authority

NWFP Works and Services Department

Timetable

Concept Clearance

07 Mar 2004

Fact Finding

15 Mar 2004 to 29 Mar 2004

MRM

04 May 2004

Approval

18 Nov 2004

Last Review Mission

-

PDS Creation Date

27 Feb 2007

Last PDS Update

02 Sep 2011

Funding

Loan 2103-PAK

Loan 2104-PAK