RAWALPINDI, March 21: The inordinate delay in removal of the cables by the PTCL and NTC authorities is affecting the completion of the underpass on IJ Principal Road near Pir Wadhai, Dawn has learnt.

The over Rs100 million project aims to ensure smooth flow of traffic on IJ Principal Road. The project has been started by Pakistan Railways with the financial assistance of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The project was started on January 15 and will be completed at the end of the year, according to the original plan. But it seems the project will take much more time in completion if the Pakistan Telecommunication Limited (PTCL) and National Telecommunication Company (NTC) did not remove the cables passing under the railway track from the point where the underpass is being constructed.

When contacted, the divisional engineer (DEN) of Pakistan Railways, Syed Munawar Shah, told this reporter that on January 28 he had sent letters to the general manager of the PTCL and the director of the NTC to remove the cables from the site.

Mr Shah said according to Clause 7 of the Railways Agreement Law, both the PTCL and the NTC had to remove the cables at their own expenses, but both the authorities had yet to take any action in this regard.