LAHORE: The residents of the areas situated along the Barki Road continue to face serious mobility, health and environmental issues caused due to delay in the completion of the Phase-1 of over Rs3.1 billion road rehabilitation and remodeling project.
The situation is worsening for the residents and businesses along the road because of an inordinate delay in the completion of the project, Dawn has learnt.
“You cannot assess the situation we are facing on a daily basis due to delay in the completion of this project. I simply term it a nightmare given the serious environmental and mobility issues being faced by people,” deplores a resident of a private housing scheme located near the Barki Road, while speaking to Dawn.
He criticised the government for not taking up this issue on priority. Another
resident complained of non-availability of rickshaws and online rides for the area because of the condition of the under-construction road and delay in its completion.
“Last night, I tried hard to book an online ride for my residence situated in a society along the Barki Road, but no rider responded. A couple of riders accepted the ride, but they cancelled it later, when they came to know about the condition of the Barki Road.
The situation is also causing serious environmental and health issues at a time when the city is ranked as the most-polluted in the world because of the heavy smog enveloping it,” he deplored.
The 6.1km-long Barki Road (Phase-1) project was launched last year with a completion timeline of June, 2026. However, the meager funds released by the government from time to time, slow-paced work on roads, removal of poles/shifting of services, sewerage and other issues delayed this important scheme, annoying the public at large.
An officer of the Lahore Development Authority’s engineering wing says, “Of the Rs3.1 billion allocated for the project, we have only received Rs800 million so far and the amount has already been consumed. For the release of the remaining funds, we have requested the government.” However, he claimed that the pace of work was not slow on the LDA’s part, as the crush stone laying (base-sub-base etc) is underway these days on the road, except a 2.5km stretch, where the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) is working to lay sewer lines.
“Till Tuesday (today), the asphalt work on the sites handed over to us will be completed, followed by initiation of the allied works under the scope of the project,” the LDA officer said.
The stone laying, compaction and asphalt works on the stretch, where Wasa is currently working, would also begin as soon as that portion would be handed over to the LDA, he said.
When contacted, a spokesman for the LDA said the project is of “complex nature”as the departments and organisations involved in the project include LDA, Wasa, Lesco, and Cantonment Board.
“For road widening, as many as 108 poles were to be removed. At present most poles have been removed and the new ones are being installed along the road. Likewise, the portions handed over to the LDA are also in the stone-laying, compaction phases. As soon it completes, the LDA teams will start asphalt work. A wall is also to be removed by the cantonment board that will be demolished soon,” he said.
Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2026
