March 12, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 3, 1429

NAWABSHAH, March 11: Motorway police are facing hurdles to perform duties on the Hala-Halani section of the National Highway due to non-cooperation of the National Highways Authority and shortage of vehicles, police officials complain.

The SSP of Motorways sector-I and II, Farhat Junejo, admitted on Tuesday his department was facing difficulties in implementing traffic rules and regulations due to non-cooperation of the NHA.

He said that at least five main under-construction diversions in sector-II posed a constant threat to motorists and commuters as the NHA had failed to complete work on them within stipulated time.

Besides, the authority had yet to start work on five pedestrian bridges proposed to be built on the Hala-Halani section of the highway, he said.

He said that the motorway police lost a good number of vehicles to post- Dec 27 violence and they badly needed at least seven more vehicles to overcome the shortage.

The deputy director of NHA Muneer Memon refused to comment on the complaints of Motorway police official saying that repair works as well as proposals (for bridges etc) were handled by the National Highway Improvement Programme (NHIP).

Saleem Soomro, project coordinator of NHIP, said that work on Kandiaro and Moro diversions was under way and would be completed in 15-20 days and refused to make comments of matters concerned with NHA.

Three major diversions on Hala-Halani section include a 10-kilometre diversion at Kandiaro, five-kilometre diversion at Moro and a three-kilometre and one-kilometre diversion at Sakrand, which lead to traffic jams and accidents.

The section of highway passing through Qazi Ahmed town witnesses prolonged traffic jams and accidents mainly due to absence of a bypass, which is not being constructed reportedly due to pressure from local landlords.

The highway passing through the town has been encroached upon by push-carts and rickshaws and lead to several major and minor accidents almost on a daily basis.