THIS is with reference to the report ‘Lillah-Jhelum Road awaits completion’ (Sept 2). It is a common practice for political parties to put the development projects started by their rivals on the back burner once they assume power. The dualisation of the 128km Lillah-Jhelum road project is a classic example of this very practice.

The project was started in November 2021 by the government of the time, and was expected to be completed in 2023.

It has remained stalled since a new government took over in 2022. The ruling party is constantly turning a blind eye to the plight of the taxpayers in the region even though both the seats in the Jhelum district were won by its own candidates.

During the recent rains, the issues of the local people in Pind Dadan Khan, Jalalpur Sharif and Lillah have further aggravated as the muddy path got completely deluged during the monsoon flash.

Travelling to the Khewra salt mines and Alexander’s monument via Jhelum last month was the worst experience of my life as it took over five hours to travel 99km on the dilapidated path.

The passage may well serve as an ideal track for a mud rally. As can be seen in the accompanying picture, passengers had to move their stranded vehicles on the Lillah-Jhelum ‘road’.

As mentioned in the report cited above, Rs16 billion were approved for the construction of the dual-carriageway, and the cost would have now approximately doubled keeping in view the skyrocketing inflation, further burdening the national exchequer.

These projects are funded with public money, and the taxpayers are the ones who have to put up with all this suffering due to the apathy of those at the helm. Political parties should try to grow up and behave with some degree of maturity in such cases.

Defunding public welfare projects started by their opponents merely deprived people of their basic necessities. The government should release the funds so that work on the project may resume.

M. Faseeh Ul Hassan
Gujar Khan

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2024