KOHAT: The authorities have been urged to ensure that laying of gas pipelines or cables is carried out simultaneously with the construction of roads to avoid damage to the infrastructure and inconvenience to the motorists and pedestrians.

Eng Khan Beg, a former project director of the Kohat Development Authority, said no one was there to check the destruction caused by digging to the newly-built roads. He said the deputy commissioner, being the executive head of the district, was responsible for ensuring coordination among the departments.

He said the dug up soil remained on the roadsides for months, causing inconvenience to the motorists and pedestrians, especially during rains.

Mr Beg said if all departments made proper planning prior to undertaking projects such damage to roads could be avoided. Fahad, an owner of a pharmacy, said a few weeks ago PTCL workers dug up the roadside in front of their shops, but they failed to level the soil after laying the cables. “After waiting for a few days, the shopkeepers did the job on their own,” he added.

Adeel, a resident of Jarwanda, said a newly-built road in the area had been dug by the SNGPL workers to lay a pipeline.

Bilal Hussain, a former Kachai nazim, said the SNGPL planned to lay a pipeline along the Hangu road, which was recently carpeted at a cost of Rs1 billion.

Naveed Khan, executive engineer of communication and works department, said: “Under rules, departments are required to inform the office of the deputy commissioner prior to carrying out a pipeline or cable-lying project alongside roads.

After which the C&W department issues them a demand notice containing expenses of repair or reconstruction of the road.

Then the departments deposit the money to be used for rehabilitation works.”

SHO INJURED: An SHO was shot at and injured during checking of vehicles on the Rawalpindi Road on Sunday.

He was shifted to the KDA Teaching Hospital. However, he had to be moved to a private hospital due to a dysfunctional X-Ray machine at the hospital.

An official of Bilitang police said the personnel signaled a vehicle to stop for checking but a man inside it opened fire. As a result SHO Asif Nawaz was seriously injured.

The accused, Abdul Qadir was arrested and a 12-bore gun was recovered from him. Later, a case was registered against him.

Meanwhile, the Jarma police arrested a drug trafficker and seized six kilogrammes hashish from him during search of a passenger coach on the Muslimabad checkpost on Sunday.

The trafficker was named Mohammad Nisar of Orakzai district.

Published in Dawn, January 4th, 2021