Incomplete road leaves villages cut off

Committee struggles to find common ground between Highway dept, WASA

JARANWALA:

A two-member inquiry committee of expert engineers, established to investigate the incomplete construction of a road between Samundri Road (Niamuana Mandi) and Fish Farm Satiana Road via Malkhanwala Faisalabad, has yet to conclude its findings, despite being ordered by the Commissioner of Faisalabad two and a half months ago.

Sources reveal that the Highway Department began constructing the 9.42km road during the financial year 2020-21. Concurrently, the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) initiated a sewer line project under the "Development of Model Localities of Minorities (Phase-II)" in 2021, funded by ex-Minister of Human Rights Punjab, Ijaz Alam Augustine, with Rs300 million allocated for the same road.

However, complications arose when the Highway Department did not grant WASA the necessary NOC for road cuts to lay the sewer line. Despite this, WASA completed its work on time, while the Highway Department managed to finish only 7km of the road, leaving a 2km section incomplete due to ongoing WASA work.

After WASA finished laying the sewer line, the Highway Department submitted an estimate of Rs52.056 million to repair the road. However, this estimate included duplicate items already executed by WASA.

Following a meeting at the Deputy Director Development's office in Faisalabad, the estimate was revised to Rs. 21.32 million, which was paid to the Highway Department for road repairs. No objections were raised by the Highway Department at that time regarding the revised amount.

Despite the payment, the Highway Department failed to start the road repairs on time, leading to the lapse of funds in June 2021.

The department then submitted a case to enhance the project cost by Rs70 million, seeking price variation, but this was rejected by the Planning and Development Department in Lahore.

On the initiative of the Deputy Commissioner of Faisalabad, the enhancement case was resubmitted but was returned with instructions to coordinate with WASA for fund provision.

Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Department conducted an inquiry into the delays but dropped the case in favour of WASA.

Former MPA Mian Tahir Jamil intervened, prompting Commissioner Faisalabad Silwat Saeed to visit the site. She then established a two-member inquiry committee, consisting of the Chief Engineer of the Irrigation Department and the Superintendent Engineer of the Public Health Engineering Department, to determine responsibility and uncover the facts behind the abandoned road project.

Locals, including Munir Ahmad, a milkman who commutes daily between rural and urban areas, expressed their frustration over the deteriorating and dusty road, which has caused health issues such as ENT diseases.

One member of the inquiry committee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told ET that although a deadline had been set by the Commissioner to conclude the inquiry, efforts were still ongoing to resolve the matter between the two departments.