Sinkhole ensnares commuters
A sinkhole, about 5 feet wide, emerged on Sargodha Road due to faulty planning and poor coordination among multiple departments, leading to severe traffic disruptions.
Engineering sources revealed that seven sinkholes have appeared in urban areas of Faisalabad over the last decade, with the latest being the eighth. According to Farhan Akram, Deputy Director of WASA, the sinkhole resulted from a leakage in a 66-diameter sewerage pipeline laid in 1983, which exceeded its shelf-life in 2013 as per engineering standards.
It's mandated for technical departments to replace underground infrastructure every three decades.
The 40-year-old pipeline became outdated, developed holes and leaked sewer water, causing widespread seepage and road collapse. The pipeline stretches about 14km from Sheikhupura to Bawa Chak Wasa disposal station.
Notably, Sargodha Road was repaired and carpeted in 2023 by the municipal corporation. Road excavation and repair are ongoing, with traffic expected to resume soon.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official from the Faisalabad Development Authority highlighted the establishment of the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) by the Punjab government in 2014.
TEPA was meant to coordinate between various engineering departments and development agencies to prevent duplicate work on similar roads and maintain the development history of each road.
However, due to a lack of funds and manpower, TEPA couldn't function effectively. Consequently, development projects proceeded without proper planning and coordination among government departments.
Many roads have been constructed using grants, aids, and ADP schemes by individual members of parliament, leading to instances where similar roads were repeatedly repaired or constructed by a single department.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 27th, 2024.