Sambu demands 700 million, threatens to halt tunnel work

PESHAWAR: The local consultants and Sambu Construction Company undertaking the Lowari Tunnel Project have threatened to stop work on the project if the government did not release Rs700 million by April 1.

An official source said the government had failed to furnish funds for the mega project enabling the landlocked Chitral district to have a round-the-year access to the rest of the country.

He said if Rs700 million under the agreement were not released, the Sambu Construction Company and local consultant would stop work on the project. Work on the project remained suspended for five months last year due to poor security situation. More impediments could cause further delay in the completion of the tunnel, which was used this year for transportation.

The source said that due to non-payment, the company could not pay salaries to its employees for two months. They claimed the company has retrenched half of the workers due to lack of finances. The contractors’ bill for the last four months, the sources added, had also not yet been approved. To add to list of affectees, the foreign and local consultants could also not get their salaries for the last six months. --(The News)