Dire situations: Union Council 38 in deplorable condition

High prevalence of drugs, street crimes aggravating matter

RAWALPINDI: Union Council 38 close to Bagh Sardar, despite being the busiest business centre of wholesale in the entire city, is in an appalling condition due to lack of basic facilities and the presence of business centres, warehouses and heavy goods transports in the residential area.

A survey conducted by Daily Express showed that among the things plaguing the area are massive encroachments, heavy traffic jams, lack of clean drinking water, consistent non-functioning of the four water filtration plants in poor conditions, obsolete electrical network, scarcity of gas and bad administration of cleanliness and sewerage systems, all collectively have put the area in deplorable conditions. Furthermore, a high prevalence of street crimes, drugs and other issues in the area has aggravated the situation and added to the woes of the residents.



This area comprises of large number of suburbs, including Kashmir Colony, Warkshapi Mohalla, Mohalla Akal Garh, Gulshan Abad, Choungi Number 3, Raja Bazar, Ganj Mandi and Nawalti cinema fall. With no graveyards, park or recreational grounds, the area presents a state of misery.

Furthermore the lanes of the residential areas are being used as a transport route due to which the residents remain highly disturbed. The residents have been facing severe issues due to a lack of space in Pirwadhai and Eidgah Qabristan.

The union council residents, Haji Tahir Ali Nawazish, former Councilor Raja Muhammad Shamsher, among others are of the view that the residential area is fast becoming the centre of business activities due to the massive presence of nearby business centres.

Filthy and polluted water is being supplied to residents due to old out-dated underground water pipelines. The passing of heavy trailers is a norm in the area because of Ganj Mandi, which is the biggest wholesale centre in the Council. This has resulted in grave traffic issues. An alternate route constructed at the corner of the Nullah Lai nearby the union council has been changed into a parking lot coming from Gunjmandi and leading to heavy goods transport which is only worsening matters.



Push carts at various points have been set up in the lanes of the council. The noise created due to loading and unloading have left the residents distressed. The union council lanes have been turned into alternate traffic routes. The separate buildings of the Zacha Bacha Centre (Mother and Child Clinic) and dispensary are in need of doctors and medicines. The centre is short of injections while a single lady health worker attends to patients. The residents rely on private boring to fulfil their needs for water.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2018.