RAWALPINDI, Feb 18: The Punjab government has asked the Project Completion Unit (PCU) to ensure completion of Gawalmandi bridge project by the end of March, officials at the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) told Dawn on Tuesday.

The construction work on Gawalmandi bridge, a part of the Asian Development Bank-funded over Rs4 billion Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project (UWSSP), could not be completed by the defunct Project Management Unit (PMU) even till December 2003, when the ADB officials formally wrapped up the project, stopped release of further funds and dissolved the PMU.

In order to complete the projects, the Punjab government had established PCU under the control of Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa)'s managing-director after the dissolution of the PMU. The PCU also consisted of some officials of the PMU.

Following the directives of the PCU, the contractor accelerated the pace of work on Gawalmandi bridge by increasing manpower, financial resources and working in two to three shifts in a bid to complete the work by the end of next month.

However, the pace of the project suffered during the recent rains and it is feared that it may not be completed within the deadline, the official said. Sources also told Dawn that the project is likely to take another extra month after the rains halted the pace of the project.