ISLAMABAD, Sept 27: At a time when the government has refused to fund projects of the public sector universities, it is going ahead with construction of nearly Rs3 billion luxury family suites for the parliamentarians.

Initially the cost for constructing 106 family suites was Rs3.04 billion, which was revised to Rs2.91 billion, sources told .

Ramzan Sajid, spokesman of the Capital Development Authority, said though the CDA was executing agency, the federal government was funding the project. Mr Sajid said five firms qualifying the recently held pre-qualification process would participate in the final bidding.

The multi-storey flats would be an extension of the Federal Lodges in front of the Parliament House. The spokesman said everything, including design of the project, was finalised, and soon the authority would announce the final bidding process. The construction of the suites would be completed in two to three years, he added.

According to the project details available with Dawn, Rs296.11 million would be spent on furniture and furnishing of the building that would have eight lifts to facilitate the lawmakers.

The project's cost also includes a massive Rs53.55 million under the head of consultancy and supervision charges. A Lahore-based consultants firm is looking after the project. According to the documents, the cost of the land 3.96 acres — 19157.78 sq yard — has been determined as Rs86.20 million — Rs4,500 per sq yard.

A CDA official, who did want to be named, said it was the federal government decision to construct additional family suites for the parliamentarians. “Now all eyes are on the bidding process and let's see which of the firms grab it, because all of them have moved their right connections,” said the official.

Last week teachers of all 72 government-run universities had gone on strike against the non-payment of their increased salaries and stoppage of funds for the development of higher education institutions. Moreover, after the floods, the government, which had almost stopped releasing funds under the development heads, has revised the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) downward for the current financial year.