ISLAMABAD: The metro bus project has disturbed normal life in Rawalpindi as floating dust particles have become a nuisance for public as well as Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who resides at Faizabad. Annoyed by the dust the minister has directed the district coordination officer (DCO) Rawalpindi to keep watering soft dust particles.

In a statement, the minister said that it was the duty of project managers to reduce the difficulties of the ordinary citizens.

“The people were already facing traffic problems as the project has narrowed Murree Road but issues like floating dust can be controlled through various means,” he added.

Incidentally, neither the interior minister has jurisdiction over Rawalpindi, nor could he interfere in the development project because he was not representing the city in the National Assembly.

However, Mr Khan resides at Faizabad and to facilitate his movement the RDA has carved a ‘U-turn’ at Murree Road right in front of his residence.

“This is not fair, the U-turn remains barricaded all the time but it is opened when the minister moves,” said Raja Ghafoor, a shopkeeper at Faizabad.

The contractors, however, wanted to complete the project as early as possible as it would reduce the sufferings of the people.

“The faster we work the quicker the project will complete and all the troubles will be over,” said Chaudhry Bashir, a local in-charge at the project in Shamsabad area.

The work on metro bus project is being carried out round the clock, and within weeks of its launch, the contractors have put up frames for the pillars.

The contractors have set up their welding plants on one side of Stadium Road to keep working without break. Similarly, one of the service roads at Muree road has been turned into a tent city to accommodate labour force who works in shifts round the clock.

The metro bus project, starting from Flashman’s Hotel, Saddar Rawalpindi to Federal secretariat, Islamabad is scheduled to complete by January 2015.

Meanwhile, the contractors in the federal capital are also gearing up to launch the work but they are waiting for green signal from the RDA.

“The RDA is expected to issue work order in next few days after that proper ground breaking will take place,” said a field manager of a contractor.

However, an employee of the civic body said that the contractors were waiting for the public hearing of Environment Impact Assessment scheduled to be held on May 3.