RAWALPINDI: As the monsoon season has arrived, residents are facing problems while traveling on dug-up roads in the garrison city. These dug-up roads also cause traffic mess.
Many roads in the downtown areas were dug up by the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) to lay sewerage or water supply lines, but the work has not been completed despite the June 30 deadline set by the Punjab government.
The construction work for the sewerage nullah in Ganjmandi to connect with Leh Nullah is not completed.
The water supply lines at Saidpur Road and other areas are creating problems for the road users. For the monsoon season, the Punjab government had directed the completion of the construction works and digging in the cities by June 30 and also imposed a ban on the digging of roads during the rainy season until September 15. However, Wasa failed to complete its work.
Wasa blames lockdown and holidays for delays as residents demand faster completion of project
Under the Rs5 billion worth development programme, the work was divided into three packages. In Package 1, Rs1.3 billion is being spent to lay sewerage lines in Dhoke Hassu, Dhoke Ratta, Pirwidhai, Mohanpura, Khayaban-i-Sir Syed and Dhoke Najju. The total length of the sewer line is 150,439 feet, and so far 7,704 feet of the critical portion of pipes has been laid.
In Package 2, Rs1.18 billion worth of work is being conducted in New Katarian, F. Block, Saidpur Scheme, Eidgah, Dhoke Babu Irfan, Pindora, Malpur, Satellite Town, Asghar Mall, and B & D Blocks, Satellite Town. The total length of the sewer lines is 136,331 feet, and so far 8,500 feet of pipe has been laid.
In Package 3, Rs1.267 billion worth of work is being carried out at Hamilton Road, Dingi Khoi, Jamia Masjid Road, and Qadeemi Imambargah, and the total length of the sewer line is 6,000 feet, while 900 feet of the sewer line has been laid so far.
When contacted, Wasa Managing Director Azizullah Khan told Dawn that the work in the first phase of all three packages was near completion. The agency will close the first phase in a week or two.
He said the second phase will start by September 15, and all the work will be completed before the next summer.
He said that he had directed the contractors to increase their workforce to ensure the timely completion of development projects.
About the reason for the delay, he said that the work was closed during the lockdown in April and during the two Eid holidays and Muharram.
They were delayed for more than 28 days, but the work will likely be completed within a week or two.
The residents and motorists said that the slow pace of work carried out by the relevant authorities irked people, especially schoolchildren, patients and visitors to the main bazaars, especially Raja Bazaar.
They suggested that the civic body should complete the work on the main road, or they should dig up a 10 to 15-foot stretch, lay the water pipeline, and fill up a particular stretch before digging up the next stretch instead of digging up the whole road.
Mohammad Raffique, a motorist, said that traffic jams became the order of the day in the area, and the commuters faced problems while passing through the road for the last two to three months, adding that venturing out on the dug-up roads is a risky affair.
Nasir Mehmood, a resident of Saidpur Road, said that the trenches not only pose danger for motorcyclists but also for cars. He said that the government should have done the work in two shifts so it could be completed early.
Iqbal Hussain, a resident of Akaal Garh, said that the departments started the development work in March and failed to complete the one-kilometre stretch of road, and it created problems for the locals.
Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2026