BAHAWALPUR: Travel on Zakheera railway overhead bridge on the national highway is quite risky as one side of the road is being used owing to closure of the other passage by the National Highway Authority (NHA) for repair work for the last more than three months.

As one side of the road is being used by the vehicles moving from and towards Karachi, countless motorists using it daily are exposed to untold risks.

Dawn learnt that the NHA while repairing the dual carriageway overhead bridge’s one side has scrapped a portion of the other side as a result of which road depressions pose a risk to both heavy and light vehicles. The travellers have pointed out that it’s all the more dangerous to travel on the potholed road due to fog or at night.

The NHA had given the repair contract to a contractor who left it incomplete. MPA Samiullah Chaudhry also took up the issue with NHA officials in Islamabad the other day and impressed upon them the need to expedite the repair work of the overhead bridge.

When this correspondent tried to contact the NHA deputy director, Assistant Director Khadim responded to the call on his behalf and not only declined to share NHA version but also let loose his indignation at the media.

NHA Media Director Sohail Aftab, while speaking to Dawn over phone, held out an assurance that a probe would be conducted on the assistant director’s outburst and that the NHA version on the pending work of the overhead bridge would be shared.

MINORITIES: MPA Youdester Chohan has assured the minorities in Cholistan that measures would be taken to solve their basic problems.

During his visit to a village near 121/PRB Mithra Bungalow in Cholistan, the MPA said he would request the Punjab chief minister for special funds to redress the grievances of the minorities in the vast desert of Cholistan.

Shimla Ram, Pretem Das Balach and others apprised the MPA of their problems regarding the unavailability of drinking water, need for road construction in the desert areas, supply of electricity, health and education facilities for children particularly of girls.

Published in Dawn, January 27th, 2022