RAWALPINDI: Engineers of Nespak and the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) will carry out a survey to assess damage to the elevated road of metro bus in the aftermath of earthquake.

There are reports about cracks in the pillars of the elevated road at 6th Road, Committee Chowk, Marrir Chowk and Faizabad, according to an RDA official.

He, however, said that the things would clear on Tuesday after a thorough inspection of the pillars and road.

He said the earthquake had loosened the nuts and bolts of the lampposts installed on the elevated road which would be rectified within a day.

On the other hand, Commissioner Zahid Saeed, who is project Director of the metro bus project, told Dawn that in their initial report, the engineers found no cracks in the elevated road from Saddar to Faizabad.

He said the engineers of Nespak, RDA and Contractor visited the road for initial assessment soon after the earthquake and found no such cracks.

“The metro bus service has not been suspended, neither have we any plan to suspend it in next few days,” he said.

He said he had directed the RDA engineers to check the route from Saddar to Faizabad and all the flyovers in Islamabad on Monday night. He said the pillars of the elevated road were earthquake proof and could bear the shocks.

He said the civic body and all the government departments including schools and hospitals had been directed to inspect their buildings for cracks and start repair work immediately.

He said the civic bodies would also start collecting data on old and dilapidated buildings in the four districts of Rawalpindi Division including Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal and Jhelum.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2015

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