NAROWAL: The vegetable and fruit market road in Daska in district Sialkot has been in a dilapidated state for the past 20 years while the district development committee has failed to construct it.

There are vegetable and fruit markets on the two kilometers of this road entering Daska city from Pasrur Chowk.

Every day, thousands of citizens and hundreds of students use this road to go to their workplaces and educational institutions.

During the rainy season, one to two feet of water accumulates on the road from Pasrur Chowk to Sabzi Mandi.

Due to lack of proper sewerage system, dirty water and mud remain on the road for several weeks.

Citizens and students have to wade through this stagnant water and mud to reach educational institutions. Buyers and traders coming to the vegetable and fruit market have to face serious difficulties.

Students Asma Afzal and Iqra Shahzadi say this is the only road in Daska, which has one to two feet deep potholes. They say dirty water and mud accumulate on the road for many weeks during heavy dust and rains.

They said several times citizens and girl students had also been injured after falling into dirty water.

Residents of Daska city, Muhammad Ibrahim and Abdul Ghani, say funds were approved three times for construction of the road. They say that it is not known what happened to the approved funds.

Nadeem and Ashraf, workers working in the vegetable and fruit market, say that their business is affected if it rains and besides the stench from mud, they have to bear financial difficulties.

Daska Assistant Commissioner Anwar Ali says funds are required for construction of Fruit Mandi Road. He said that there is a delay in the construction of the road due to non-availability of funds; however, the administration is trying to get the road repaired.

The citizens and students have demanded caretaker Chief Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi to provide funds for immediate construction of the road.

Published in Dawn, November 6th, 2023