TAXILA: The Rs210 million urban beautification project in Hassanabdal, with newly paved roads flooded like lakes within days of completion, as described by residents, highlights the disconnect between construction standards and ground realities.

In March, the Punjab government initiated a multi-million-dollar beautification and facelift project to revamp the city for tourists, particularly Sikh pilgrims who visit four times a year from across the world. It was inaugurated by the Punjab chief minister during her recent visit to Attock with pomp and show.

The project includes shifting utility services to underground systems to enhance safety and reliability and to significantly reduce visual clutter across the city.

According to the locals, the development work lacked strong foundations and involved alleged shoddy workmanship, with water leaks on various roads threatening newly laid tiles.

The water gushing from the roadside near the central Imambargah as well as Islam Shaheed Road, inundating both the main thoroughfare and an adjoining street, has raised questions about the quality of the development work.

Residents allege that the work was hurriedly completed to meet the inauguration deadline. They added that water had accumulated across the road and spilled into the adjoining street, making normal movement difficult. Pedestrians are forced to negotiate narrow steps and raised platforms to avoid wading through the water, while elderly people, women and children face particular difficulties.

Shahid Iqbal, a resident, said that the leakage was suspected to have originated from a defective water supply or sewerage line.

He raised serious questions about how a road could be renovated and new tuff tiles installed without first identifying and rectifying defects in the underground infrastructure.

Another resident of the area, Sadaqat Ali, claimed that the development had fuelled allegations of poor planning, inadequate engineering supervision and a glaring absence of quality control.

He said that more troubling was the prospect that the continuous flow of water could destroy the newly installed tuff tiles and undermine the road surface, making it another casualty of questionable development practices.

Ehsan Awan, a resident, said that the loopholes warranted a thorough examination of who approved the work and whether underground water supply and sewerage lines were inspected before construction.

When contacted, District Officer Infrastructure and Services, Attock, Mujtaba Ahmed, confirmed that the underground water supply project had been damaged after the inauguration.

He also confirmed that the old water supply line was not relocated before the execution of the project; however, he added that the issue would be addressed soon.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2026