The construction of the 128-km Lillah-Jhelum dual carriageway, which began in 2021, continues to face delays due to a lack of funds over the past two financial years, greatly affecting local commute and transport for the more than one million residents of Pind Dadan Khan in Jhelum district.
The project was originally slated for completion by 2024, but due to the Punjab Communications and Works Department’s (CWD) neglect, it has fallen behind schedule. This road's non-completion has created daily hardships for various groups, including patients, travellers, traders, tourists, students, employees, and lawyers.
The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has halted work on the project, with it being said it was due to not receiving the necessary funds. The funds have been stalled for nearly two years.
Read ‘Lilla-Jhelum-Doria Road to ease commuter woes’
Initially approved under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), with a budget Rs12 billion, the project was scheduled for completion within three years.
The Ministry of Planning and Development in Islamabad was responsible for providing funds for the project. However, the funds were not released on time.
The planning ministry initially allocated Rs5 billion in fiscal year 2021-22, of which Rs3.3 billion were released.
In the fiscal year 2022-23, the allocation was reduced to Rs500 million, of which only Rs400 million were released.
The total estimated cost of the project was revised to Rs16 billion due to rising costs and delays.
An allocation of at least Rs4 billion was required in the current fiscal year. However, only Rs1.8 billion were allocated, and funds have not been released in the second quarter.
One of the reasons cited for the delay was the failure of the CWD to request the necessary funds from the planning ministry for two consecutive financial years. This indifference resulted in further delays, making the completion of the project impossible, said one person working on the project on the condition of anonymity.
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Fallout
Other than causing inconvenience to locals, the delay has also resulted in economic costs in terms of lost revenue. Famous tourist destinations like Khewra Salt Mines and Nandana Fort have witnessed a significant decline in visitors due to the extensive renovations part of the stalled project.
It also means that a journey of mere minutes took much longer, with people forced to take detours and areas with traffic bottlenecks.
The dust and pollution from the construction have led to health issues, including asthma, breathing problems, and other infectious diseases among passengers and passerby.
The residents have taken the issue to the Lahore High Court, with Justice Jawad Al Hasan of the Rawalpindi Bench summoning a response from the relevant departments, including the planning ministry, the finance ministry and the Punjab CWD, and the FWO.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2023.
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