SWABI: The construction work on Maneri bridge on Badri nullah has remained suspended for the last one year, sources in communication and works department and public sector contractors told Dawn.

The local people said that the delay was creating problems for them, demanding that it should be completed before the upcoming monsoon season.

The construction work was started in January 2020 and the pillars were erected by December. It was expected to be completed by the end of 2021. However, the construction work was stopped and it did not resume till date despite repeated requests by the people.

The people of Maneri Bala union council, especially the residents of Shagai, Ghar, Sharifabad, Pirtab and various other regions want completion of the project as soon as possible.

When contacted, an official of communication and works department told Dawn that the total cost of the bridge was Rs12 million, but the contractor could not get funds due to which its completion had been delayed and it was not clear when the construction work would resume.

The project is financed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa irrigation department, said officials.

The people said that in case of rain and flood in the Badri nullah, majority of both boys and girls students would not be able reach their institutions and the farmers of the region would also face various problems.

When contacted, Babar Saleem former MPA said that the project had been delayed for a long time, creating disturbance among the people and there was dire need to resume construction of the bridge as early as possible.

THALASSAEMIA CENTRE: The only thalassaemia centre here in the district is expected to start work till end of August, sources in the health department told Dawn here on Monday.

They said it would be a good news for the thalassaemia patients belong to different area of the district because they did not have such a facility and were forced to go to Peshawar, Mardan, Abbottabad and Islamabad for treatment.

The centre would start work in the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital Chota Lahor and it had already been inaugurated by Swabi Deputy Commissioner Sanaullah and officials of the health department, sources said.

They added that at a time 220 thalassaemia patients could be admitted for medical treatment in the presence of leading doctors in the field of this dreadful disease.

Sources said the patients will get free treatment including the ones belonging to the peripheries of the district.

When contacted officials in the health department told Dawn that the diagnostics, medication, blood transfusion and minor surgeries would be offered free of cost to the patients, adding that there was dire need for the youngsters to conduct a pre-merriage screening test to get rid of this fatal disease.

They said after starting work the registration of thalassaemia patients would also be conducted to know the exact number of patients.

Published in Dawn,May 3rd, 2022