ARL bitumen registration pending for nine years in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: Attock Refinery’s request for registration of its “cheaper but quality” bitumen has been pending with the Punjab provincial communication and works (C&W) department for nine years.

This all has been disclosed in a letter written by Attock Refinery Ltd (ARL) to the C&W secretary. The letter has referred to a meeting a held on August 13, 2015 chaired by Chief Secretary Punjab in which it was decided that ARL’s bitumen would be registered after passing requisite quality tests. Despite ARL’s bitumen’s successful testing at various laboratories as advised by Punjab Highways department, the registration has been still pending.

The letter further says that reputable road builders/contractors including NHA (National Highway Authority), FWO (Frontier Works Organization), NLC (National Logistic Cell), CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) are regularly using ARL’s Bitumen without any complaint on projects of strategic national importance including M-I & M-II and CPEC projects. This shows ARL’s bitumen is internationally recognized in terms of its quality and cheaper cost.

Needless to say, that this delay of over 9 years primarily because of administrative approvals in registration of ARL Bitumen with the Punjab Highway Department despite having cleared all the quality tests is forcing the Punjab government to use expensive bitumen from alternate sources while ignoring availability of product in its own province for C&W Projects is only putting additional financial burden on Government of Punjab resources. This correspondent attempted many times for the Punjab government version, but the C&W secretary did not respond.