TAXILA, Dec 18: The construction of an underpass to ease traffic flow here is becoming the very reason of long delays, as the incomplete project for want of funds has made life more difficult and noisy for the people of Taxila.

The work on construction of underpass in Taxila Chowk has slowed down considerably, which authorities attribute to lack of funds and lack of political support by the federal and provincial governments.

The construction work on four-lane Taxila Chowk underpass on Islamabad- Peshawar G.T. Road was started in February 2009 with a cost of Rs758.9 million. It was to be completed in June 2010.

Shaukat Aziz, former prime minister, in a public address here had announced the project as General (retired) Pervez Musharraf announced funds for it on the request of Ghulam Sarwar Khan, former federal minister. As Mr Khan lost election to Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) took over reins of Punjab, the project was put on back burner.

Today construction material and presence of heavy construction machinery on roadside are causing problems for pedestrians and motorists, who experience traffic clogs for hours daily. Motorists travelling on G.T. Road and approaching Taxila Chowk from Faisal Shaheed Road and Wah Cantonment, Thatta Khail Road continue to face inconvenience because of narrow stretches of roads, soil, rocks and stones left at site of the underpass, where clouds of dust have become a permanent feature.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Sarwar said his rivals did not want the project to be completed, as he would “get public support for easing their travelling problems”. But he agreed that the lack of funds, especially after the floods, was also another reason for delay.

The former minister regretted the people were paying the price by facing traffic snarls and dust pollution daily.

PML-N leader Umar Farooq, who is supervising development projects in Taxila and Wah, denied that the project was being delayed because of political rivalries, and pointed towards funds’ shortage.

He said on the directives of Chaudhry Nisar, the contactor has expedited the pace of work, hoping that the project would be completed in March 2011.