Vehicles worth millions irreparably damaged

Trucks, tankers rendered useless in town, tehsil offices due to negligence

PESHAWAR: The mismanagement and lack of care for the public items in the municipal and public offices have led to damages worth millions of rupees worth of vehicles and items alike in town and tehsil offices across the provincial capital.

The documents and ground checking showed to The Express Tribune that vehicles worth millions had been left carelessly on the premises of the provincial capital’s municipal board offices and town and tehsil administration offices.

The lists also shared that 12 vehicles in Town I of Peshawar worth millions have been left standing there unattended since the past 25 years, which included loader trucks, water tankers, two Pajero jeeps and road rollers.

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In town three of the provincial capital 10 vehicles were left unattended since the past 10 years including cars, water tanks, multi loaders trucks, the report shared.

Similarly, in other districts of the province, most of the municipality vehicles have become rusted as they have not been used since they were purchased.

The source added that similar situations occurred with one such vehicle in Hangu district, three in Karak, three in Topi tehsil of Swabi, two in district Swabi, two in Tehsil Razzar of Swabi, four in Chitral. Two in Alpuri of Shangla district, four in Chitral that have become completely rusted and five others in need of minor repairs; Two in Janghira, Two in Lakki Marwat.

Similarly, six vehicles worth Rs50 million Timergara have become rusted because they were left unattended, six vehicles in Bannu, three vehicles in Tal of Hangu district, two in Kulachi D. I. Khan, three in Mansehra and one in Chota Lahore and two each in That Bhai and Charsadda Tangi. These unattended vehicles are now of no used.

The list showed that Swabi and the provincial capital topped the list as having most of the useless vehicles worth millions and the district administration failed to utilise the funds to make these vehicles useful.

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The source said: “we tried to make these vehicles useful again, but due to prolonged neglect, they were beyond normal repairs simply because of apathy of towns and district administration.” Timely repair and maintenance keep even decades-old vehicles running, as in case of the private sector, however, government officials believe that the cars and SUVs they get are for free and throw them to rust and rot for slightest of repairs like faulty cooling system or brakes.

Lying in open ciollecting dust, these vehicles bougth from taxpayers money gather rust and go dysfunctional, while government borrows more cash from donors to buy more SUVs for the babus, the source said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2019.