Rs30m released for dredging of Nullah Leh

Official says desilting will commence by next week

RAWALPINDI:

To avoid devastating urban floods during the upcoming monsoon season, the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has awarded the silt cleaning of Nullah Leh’s contract worth Rs60 million to a national company.

According to official sources, the desilting drive will be started by next week and completed in two phases. They said the Punjab government has released Rs30 million for the first phase to the civic agency while another Rs30 million will be granted before the second phase.

Due to the unprecedented hike in the prices of petroleum products, the expected cost of the project has doubled from Rs30 million to Rs60 million this year.

The Punjab government has granted final consent to boost the cleaning expenditure from Rs30 million to Rs60 million by endorsing the estimated cost report based on the rise in the rate of fuel and labour.

Sources further said a large national firm from Rawalpindi had officially submitted a bid to the special committee, which was formally accepted. The contractor has been ordered to start the work on the project immediately, they said.

Sources also said the private company will start slit cleaning from next week.

Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaqat Chatha will inaugurate the project while the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) director general and WASA Managing Director Tanveer Ahmed will also be present.

Silt cleaning will be started from New Katarina Bridge to Rialto Chowk. The officials said the Chaklala Cantonment Board (CCB) will be responsible for desilting Nullah Leh in its territories, even though it has not yet devised a strategy in this regard. The Cantt board has not even allocated any funds for the purpose which has raised a question on the board’s intention to cope with urban floods and flood-like situations.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2023.