SUKKUR: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders MNAs Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah and Noman Islam Shaikh have filed an application in the Sindh High Court, Sukkur bench, seeking intervention of the judiciary for the construction of a new bridge over Indus River.

Advocate Mehfooz Awan, representing the applicants, informed the court that the approval for the new bridge had already been accorded but the federal government was not providing funds to start the construction work.

The applicants stated that the present historic Lansdowne Bridge over the Indus in Sukkur had already completed more than 127 years and now stood beyond its age. They apprehended that if the crumbling bridge collapsed, this could cause loss of life or property.

In such a case, they added, the communication system between Sukkur and Rohri cities would be cut off and movement of people could be hampered.

They pointed out that the bridge served as means for movement of people between the two cities and all business and trade activities in the area depended on this facility which would be affected.

They further stated that the previous federal government had accorded its approval for the construction of a new bridge at a specified site over Indus in Sukkur. In the planning process, the federal government had undertaken a study and got a feasibility report prepared.

All necessary documents and formalities for the project had been completed but the bidding process and construction had not been started by the federal government as yet, they stated.

The applicants alleged that the project was being deliberately delayed on political grounds by the incumbent government.

They asked the court to intervene in the matter and help get the construction work on the project started in the larger public interest as early as possible.

They stated that the new bridge would give a boost to business and trade activities in the area by

facilitating easy and safe movement of businessmen, traders and other people.

The court has fixed the matter for Wednesday (Aug 5) to decide maintainability of the application.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2020