MURREE: Construction and beautification that began on The Mall in Murree around two years ago have been halted.

The project was initiated under former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, and a contractor was awarded a Rs350 million contract in April 2017. Work was to be completed by June 2017.

Tiles were to be installed on the roads, along with CCTV cameras, seating and lights. However, only around 35pc of the work has been completed since. At present, cabins and kiosks along the road have encroached on the greenbelt, while hand-pulled carts get in the way of pedestrians.

Murree Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Ahmed Khitchi told Dawn that the project, along with others such as the renovation of the Kashmir Point Governor House, was launched by the Punjab government’s Urban Unit Department, while the Murree Town administration looks after it. Mr Ahmed is the town administrator.

He said the town administration is keeping a check to ensure the quality of work and is pursuing the contractor to complete work as soon as possible. He said starting development work in many areas would create problems, and action will be taken against encroachments after the development work has been completed.

He said the contractor stopped working when winter started, and would hopefully begin again now that the weather is conducive to construction.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2019