ISLAMABAD: The residents of Sector I-8/4 have expressed their annoyance over the shifting of a sewerage line to the Service Road South during the construction of the metro bus route.

The residents said the sewerage line had eaten up almost 40 per cent of the road, obstructing access to their houses.

Besides, the drain had also not been covered, endangering the lives of the residents, especially children.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Zahid Saeed, who is also the director of the metro bus project, said covering the drain was not in the project design but he would take the Capital Development Authority (CDA) into confidence to resolve the issue.

Residents say sewerage line relocated to service road remains exposed

One of the residents, Shaheen Iqbal, told Dawn that over 100 families living in the area had been suffering because of the construction of the sewerage line along the service road.

“The service road was 24 feet wide and ended at the I-8/4 grid station. There are houses along the road and flats near the grid station at the end of the road. Residents have access to their houses only through the service road,” he said.

“Before the construction on the metro bus route started, the drain passed along I.J.P. Road. However, during the construction work on the metro bus route the drain was relocated to the service road. The new drain line is over eight feet wide and has consumed almost half of the service road because a thick reinforced concrete (RC) wall is constructed on both sides,” he said.

The drain line has squeezed the service road so much that in case of any accident at the grid station, it will be impossible for more than one vehicle, such as a fire tender, to reach the site.

Moreover, children can also fall into the drain as it is uncovered.”

He said the residents only wanted to get the drain covered. Some portion of the drain line from 9th Avenue to the grid station has been covered because the flyover of the metro project passes from there.

However, the drain is uncovered from where the grid station and houses start,” he said.

Another resident, Khushnood Shahani, said the construction work had also exposed an underground electricity line in front of the houses.

“That line provides electricity to a sensitive installation across the road. As the electricity line is exposed, it can be cut by miscreants to stop power supply to the installation,” he said.

The director of the metro bus project, Zahid Saeed, told Dawn that after receiving complaint about the drain and electricity lines, he had deputed an official to submit a report.

“As far as the electricity line is concerned, Iesco has started working on it and within a few days the issue will be resolved. We have only reconstructed the drain because the original line was affected due to the work on the metro bus project,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2014