RAWALPINDI: The slow pace of construction on a link road connecting Tipu Road and Airport Road has led to a traffic jams and congestion on Rawal Road.

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) began working on a Rs250 million project to reconstruct the road and cover an open nullah. The road, which connects Tipu Road and Sir Syed Chowk to Airport Road, will be completed by June 2018.

However, construction led to traffic congestion on Rawal Road, which is the only alternate route available to local residents. Many auto mechanics’ workshops that were established on the road have also been closed due to the construction.

People have criticised the RDA for launching construction without any pre-planning. Instead of facilitating them, residents said the road has caused them problems.

Tipu Road resident Mohammad Arshad said the RDA should have first laid a pipeline to cover the nullah and then started constructing the road. “However, the RDA began both at the same time,” he said.

Chaudhry Mukhtar, another local resident, said the contractor should lay a sewerage line, since sewage has begun accumulating in houses.

He said sand on the road has not been cleared, causing people to inhale dust and develop upper respiratory diseases. Mr Mukhtar also said that residents have to travel through waste water to go to work or school.

Ahmed Raja said the local administration should have dug up the road and reconstructed it, but it did not make arrangements for the sewage in order to save money, adding that construction should be completed as soon as possible.

“In the dry weather a layer of dust remains in houses. Children are suffering from sore throat and fever,” he added. Mr Raja said the contractor had left dug up patches uncovered, which could prove fatal from drivers at night.

RDA Chief Engineer Ather Hussain Bukhari said the RDA would expedite work to cover the nullah and to construct the road. He said the traffic police would also be contacted to make arrangements for drivers.

Mr Bukhari said the RDA began working on the road because there was a dire need to reconstruct it. He added that funding has been released and the contractor was asked to make arrangements for sewage and other issues that could arise.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2017