OKARA, April 19: The National Highway Authority has failed to repair about 5km-long dilapidated patch of the GT Road passing through the city which was inconveniencing motorists, commuters and residents since a year. The people living on both sides of the road, besides representatives of the GT Road Traders Association and auto workshops, Saeed Houda and Zafar Iqbal said they had raised the issue before the authority concerned some six months back, but nothing concrete was done in this regard.

They said the NHA had planned widening of the road, adding that it would be

unrealistic as the areas along the road were thickly populated and there were scores of workshops and agricultural machinery stores on both sides of the

road.

A representative of agricultural tool manufacturers, Rana Muhammad Ashiq said that thousands of workers were suffering from lungs diseases because of the pollution caused by dust and smoke in the area.

He demanded the NHA should take immediate steps to save the public as well as the businessmen from health hazards and inconvenience.