ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Shipping & Maritime Affairs has directed the Karachi Port Trust management to initiate inquiry against unjustified execution of repair work and rehabilitation of work at Manora Dry Dock involving Rs179.578 million and purchase of spare parts for repair of vessels through M/s Karachi Ship Yard worth Rs373.693 million.
Sources told Customs Today that KPT made agreement with M/s Mohammad Ayub and Brothers for repair and rehabilitation of Monara Dry Dock. Clause 48.3 of the agreement states that if the permanent work is substantially completed and satisfactorily passed any test on completion prescribed by the contractor, the engineer may issue a taking over certificate in respect of that part of the permanent work before completion of the whole of the works, and upon issue of such certificate the contractor shall be deemed to have undertaken to complete with due expedition any outstanding in that part of the permanent works during the defect liability period.
The repair and rehabilitation contract of Manora Dry Dock was awarded to M/s Mohammad Ayub and Brothers Karachi at contract price of Rs202,790,262 which was to be completed in 364 days and it was required to be supervised by the consultant M/s Umar Munshi Associates, Karachi.
It is observed the contractor M/s Umar Munshi Associates imposed liability because of faulty design to which the consultant reported that it was not his fault rather the contractor and management of KPT committed irregularities in execution of the work.
The contractor reported that their company under the blessing of client had attempted to procure substandard scrap like winches from Karachi Scrap Market and sought consultant approval for acceptance without providing any shop drawings and mentioning of specification for one of the expensive items BOQ.
The consultant stated that there was a loss of items in sending of rally of copy paste (so called) proposals by the contractor from some fake suppliers instead of acquiring appropriate proposals.
The consultant reported that in addition to delay in completion of the work relating to repairs of gates there was still leakage prevailing. The consultant reported that he recommended for non-payment of claim amounting to Rs10 million but it was paid by KPT, which was confirmed by the management on the undertaking of the contractor.
It is also observed that due to non-functional dry dock the KPT had to carry out repair work of vessels from M/s Karachi Shipyards for which KPT paid an amount for purchase of spare parts.
The ministry is of the view that the as the repair works were complemented through M/s Karachi Shipyard which showed that the minor dry dock was not functional. Ministry recommends that the inquiry should be conducted to ascertain the facts and action should be taken against the concerned.
