NED University experts question plan for reconstruction of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar's shrine

NED University experts question plan for reconstruction of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar's shrine
Karachi: The NED University experts have raised certain objections over the material used in the reconstruction of the shrine of the Sufi saint, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, in Sehwan.

The experts had suggested to the government that the permanent solution to the problem of seepage was to reconstruct the RCC dome of the shrine, according to official sources and documents obtained on Sunday.

The authorities concerned were believed to be redesigning the scheme as per the Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority rules.

Nespak, which was given the task of supervising the overall work, has reportedly withdrawn from the scheme recently owing to some undisclosed reasons, sources said.

The structural deterioration of the shrine of the Sufi saint and massive irregularities in its repair work has been in the news since the dome collapsed in 1994.

The then government had ordered reconstruction of the entire Dargah, and a master plan was prepared.

The work's executing agency was the Prime Minister's Monitoring and Evaluation Cell while its contractor and consultant were the National Construction Ltd (NCL) and Nespak.

The earlier design of the shrine and dome included a steel structure through piling work, but later the dome was supported by iron girders and plates on the RCC walls.

However, the seepage problem re-emerged. Official sources said that some companies used gold leafing worth over forty million rupees in the dome which faded over time.

The proceedings of inquiries into the iron dome and gold leafing were still pending with NAB and the provincial Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE).

In order to deal with the situation, President Asif Ali Zardari had chaired a meeting in Islamabad on 23rd February 2010 and directed the NCL to rectify the faulty work.

In this connection, a new scheme, "Remedial Measures of Main Shrine" worth Rs47.025 million, was initiated by Nespak in July 2010.

The remedial plan was sent to the NED University for review. It was also reviewed by some officials and was ultimately rejected as the plan had several loopholes.

Later, the Management Board of Redevelopment Work of Dargah Hazrat Lal Shahbaz Qalandar invited fresh tenders on 13th March 2011.

Around 11 consultants minus Nespak applied for prequalification. Nespak's decision not to apply surprised many because the construction firm had earlier made a commitment to participate and complete the bids as per government rules, an official familiar with this development said.

In order to review the latest situation, the Chief Secretary of Sindh, Abdus Subhan Memon, held a meeting at his office on 27th April 2011.

An official who had attended the meeting said that the government had hired a new consultant to redesign the scheme.

He said several phases of the scheme were stopped owing to inquiries by NAB and ACE.

The official claimed that the work would be done in a transparent manner as they had now fulfilled PPRA rules. The news