RAWALPINDI: The rain on Monday created puddles on the dilapidated and dug-up roads and streets in the city and cantonment areas.

The Meteorological Department recorded 14 millimetre (mm) rainfall in Islamabad and 11mm in Rawalpindi. It forecast more showers during the next 24 hours in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

In the city areas, many roads have developed potholes as the Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) failed to repair them for the last two years.

In Satellite Town, Sadiqabad, Raja Bazaar, Saidpur Road, Asghar Mall, Khayaban-i-Sir Syed and adjoining areas, the shoulder drains remained clogged and the rainwater accumulated on the roads, creating problems for the citizens.

In Saddar, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) started digging Haider Road and Bank Road two weeks ago to lay underground TV cables. On Monday, rainwater accumulated on the dug-up roads creating problems for the road users.

Rawal Town Municipal Administration, cantonment boards fail to repair roads and streets in Rawalpindi

Misrial Road, Tench Bhatta, Chur Chowk, Allahabad, People’s Colony and adjoining areas of Peshawar Road were not different from Saddar and the inner city areas.

The residents criticised the civic bodies and said in the absence of the local government system, bureaucracy was running the affairs of the city and instead of facilitating the citizens increased the taxes.

“The roads developed potholes and the RTMA is doing nothing. After the light showers, rainwater accumulated on the roads. Sewage also entered houses,” said Mohammad Ajmal, a resident of Satellite Town D-Block.

He said the pedestrians also faced problems in crossing the roads due to the knee-deep water after the recent spell of rain. It is the duty of the civic body to repair the roads and drains, he added.

Sohail Khan, a resident of Satellite Town F-Block, added: “The absence of an elected local government has created the mess. The bureaucracy never pays any heed to resolve the problems of the citizens as they are not accountable to the people.”

He said millions of rupees were collected from the taxpayers every year.

“We pay taxes and the government should spend it on civic facilities but nobody cares about us. The government officials waste the taxpayers’ money without taking elected people on board,” he said.

Shoaib Sheikh, a resident of Saadi Road in Saddar, said the cantonment board was being run by military and civilian bureaucracy and they were not accountable to the citizens.

“The condition of roads, especially Haider Road, Bank Road, Kashmir Road and Adamjee Road, need an urgent attention. The RCB is busy in beautification of Saddar but the slow pace of work has created problems for the road users,” he said.

Asghar Ali, a resident of Naseerabad, said there was a dire need for the local government elections in the cantonment areas as the officials of the cantonment board did not listen to the public complaints.

“Water shortage occurred in every winter season but nobody is ready to resolve the problem. Who will ask the cantonment authorities to solve the issue?” he said.

MNA Malik Abrar told Dawn that the government should announce the local government elections in the province to make the bureaucracy accountable.

He said the elected members of the cantonment boards and municipal administrations would provide civic facilities to the residents and raise a voice for them.

He said the local bureaucracy never listened to the repeated requests of even members of the national and provincial assemblies to improve the condition of the roads and other civic facilities. “Apparently, the citizens have no say in the civic bodies,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2015

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