SWABI: The cost of the under-construction building of the Women University Swabi (WUS) has jumped from Rs1.5 billion to Rs2.168 billion due to delay in its completion, sources in the varsity told Dawn here on Monday.

They said the project would now cost Rs667 million more than the original cost.

The construction of WUS campus was inaugurated by then chief minister Pervez Khattak in Sept 2017 on the premises of Government Sahbzada Khursheed Memorial Degree College in Kotha union council of Topi tehsil.

The inauguration of the project, expected to be completed within two years, had given a boost to the ruling party as its candidates swept the 2018 general elections, said the sources.

The WUS has been functioning in a makeshift building in Gulo Dheri area of Swabi tehsil.

During the interim tenures of acting vice-chancellors a project coordinator was hired without following the formal procedure, said the sources.

However, later on the project coordinator was relieved of the assignment over dubious educational qualification, added the sources.

When Prof Shahana Urooj Kazmi took charge as regular VC in March 2020, she had expedited the work on the building.

She had hired the new project coordinator after advertising the post and fulfilling all the formalities, the sources said.

However, the sources said when Prof Urooj was sent on forced leave, the next acting VC again relieved the project coordinator, thus badly disrupting the progress on the project.

The sources said the university was now functioning without a project coordinator.

Prof Urooj, who returned to her office about a month ago, wants to complete the university building as soon as possible, the sources said, adding the project should be completed till June 30, 2022 as per the commitment of the ruling party leaders and the officials of the communication and works department, the executing agency.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2022