Lahore: Incomplete Dev Samaj Road upsets residents

[LahoreEstate]

Saturday, February 14, 2009
By Ali Raza

LAHORE

WORK on Dev Samaj Road is yet to be completed despite passage of several months inconveniencing residents.

Authorities have neglected the road despite the fact that the Commissioner’s Office is located on it. It seems that the commissioner is powerless to ensure completion of one of the busiest roads of the City.

Dev Samaj Road is a major road that connects the Commissioner’s Office to Multan Road and Punjab Civil Secretariat at Aiwan-e-Adal Complex. It also connects various city localities i.e. Sanatnagar, Islampura, Abdali Chowk, Out Fall Road and Bund Road.

Presently, the road is in a pathetic condition and residents of various localities especially motorcyclists who use this road are facing serious problems. Stones scattered on the road often puncture tyres of bikes and cars and are also hurled in the air by moving tryes, putting people at the risk of being injured. The road was in a perfect condition months ago but its reconstruction was started for no apparent reason. It was covered with stones and a layer of mud that was pressed with bulldozers. Later, construction machinery was taken away from the spot.

“Since that day, nobody has returned to lay the final layer of bitumen,” said Khalid, a local resident. He said residents had to face inconvenience while using the road. He said his bike got punctured many times owing to pointed stones scattered on the road.

He said people had been expressing concern in this regard but to no avail. “It is strange that authorities have been ignoring the road despite the fact that the Commissioner’s Office is located on it.”

Ghulam Ahmed, a lawyer said the government had planned to construct the road almost five months ago despite the fact that it did not need repairs at that time. He said instead of completing the task, the project was left in the middle.

“The incomplete road has also become a major source of air pollution in the vicinity as vehicles raise dust,” said Jamal, a resident of a nearby locality. He said a school was located on the road and its students were exposed to health hazards. He said students and their parents were facing a lot of difficulties due to the condition of the road.

Residents said reconstruction of the road was started on the directions of the Lahore DCO as the present office of Commissioner Lahore was the office of the Lahore DCO. They claimed that the building was later given to the commissioner and the Lahore DCO’s office was shifted to Zila Katchery after which the project was abandoned.

Residents have urged the Punjab chief minister to take strict notice of this negligence and take action against officials responsible for the delay in completion of the road. They claimed that they had tried to meet the commissioner but they were not allowed to meet him and every time the Commissioner’s staff told them that he (the commissioner) was busy in a meeting.

When contacted, the Lahore DCO was not available in his office to give his version. He also did not take calls on his cell phone. Likewise, the Lahore commissioner was also not available in his office and his operator rudely refused to give his cell number or residential number to the scribe. On insistence, the operator said that he will deliver a message to the commissioner on Saturday (today).

http://thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=162575