Recurring sinkhole on road disrupts traffic again

Faulty infrastructure, poor departmental coordination blamed

JARANWALA:

A 13-foot-wide sinkhole has once again appeared on Sargodha Road within four months, causing severe traffic disruptions and raising concerns about the city's infrastructure planning and inter-departmental coordination.

This marks the second such incident in recent months, underscoring ongoing issues in the area.

Sources from the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) said this is the ninth sinkhole to emerge in urban areas of Faisalabad over the past decade.

The latest sinkhole was caused by a leak in a 66-inch-diameter sewerage pipeline that was originally laid in 1983.

WASA Deputy Director Farhan Akram explained that the pipeline had exceeded its shelf life, which, according to engineering standards, should have been replaced by 2013.

"It is mandatory for technical departments to replace underground infrastructure every three decades," Akram stated.

The 40-year-old pipeline had deteriorated, developing holes that led to severe water leakage, widespread seepage, and ultimately the collapse of the road. The pipeline in question runs approximately 14 kilometres, from Sheikhupura to the Bawa Chak disposal station.

Notably, the stretch of Sargodha Road where the sinkhole appeared had been repaired and resurfaced by the Highway Department in 2023.

Road excavation and repair work are currently ongoing, with traffic expected to resume shortly. Akram pointed out that WASA had previously repaired a sinkhole in the same area, using Plain Cement Concrete (PCC) technology to reconstruct the road.

However, the repaired road deteriorated quickly due to the heavy traffic of dumper trucks, causing significant inconvenience to commuters.

Akram also emphasized that the Highway Department is responsible for re-carpeting the road after sinkhole repairs, as the tendering for the project is still ongoing.

"The Highway Department is the sole custodian of the road," he said, adding that a formal letter would be sent to the department, instructing them to repair the road within two days.

Metropolitan Corporation (MC) Chief Officer Zubair Watto confirmed that while Sargodha Road falls under the jurisdiction of the MC, the responsibility for its repair and maintenance lies with the Highway Department.

Watto further noted that the Government of Punjab had approved the establishment of the Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency (TEPA) in 2014 under the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA).

TEPA was intended to coordinate between various engineering departments and development agencies to prevent duplicated work on roads and maintain development records. However, due to a lack of funds and manpower, TEPA has not been able to function effectively, leading to uncoordinated development projects across the city.

Efforts to reach Highway Department Superintendent Engineer Rana Azhar Hussain for comment were unsuccessful.