WHILE the ongoing Expressway widening project in Islamabad, from Gulberg to Kak Pul, is a commendable initiative, there is a critical matter that deserves immediate attention of the relevant authorities. The contractors responsible for the said project are busy in conducting deep excavations adjacent to a housing society, extracting clay and stones from various sites and transporting them elsewhere.

Owing to the ongoing excavations, the situation around and near the society has reached an alarming state, testing the patience of the residents. If the current digging process is not halted immediately and remedial measures are not taken, the entire area will turn into a pool of dirty water as soon as the monsoon rains enter the country. This will pose a severe threat to the health, lives and properties of the people. The practice is not only posing a significant threat to the houses, but also to all built-up structures that are part of the said housing society.

Moreover, apart from the risks posed to the people, the safety of the expanded Expressway is also under a great threat as water ponds beneath the roadbed can pose serious risks. The excavation process has to be stopped forthwith.

Syed Muzammil Hussain
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2024