JHANG: Regular cleanliness and maintenance of drains along the either side of Jhang-Toba Tek Singh Road has become a bone of contention between the two wings of the Provincial Highway Department (PHD) resulting in disruption of traffic on the road.

Department’s wings -- constructions and maintenance and repair (M&R) -- are placing the responsibility of removing silt from the drainage lines on each other.

The road was built some years ago with drains on either side. The department, instead of entrusting the construction of drains to the Public Health Engineering Department, allowed the construction company to build the drainage system. The drains are not linked to the main disposal line of the municipality. Sources said the highways engineers had not handed over the cleanliness of the drains to the local municipality.

Now, the drains have started overflowing and damaging the road. The portion has developed bone-breaking potholes. Sources said the municipality staff as well as the district administration would occasionally flush out the water using pumps but it was not a permanent solution.

Construction executive engineer (EXEN) Sheikh Ijaz said when the road was handed over to the department, it was expected that the drainage line could be choked. As per the recent bifurcation in the department, the administrative and repair work of the road was the responsibility of the M&R wing.

M&R EXEN Iftikhar Ahmed did not attend the call.

Published in Dawn, February 24th, 2017