Slow pace of work disturbsdaily routine of area residents

Islamabad The residents of Chashma Town, New Sohan in the jurisdiction of UC-21 have appealed to Chief Commissioner Islamabad Zulfiqar Haider to spur up the contractors working on laying down sewerage line in the area, as slow pace of work has hampered daily routine of the inhabitants of the locality.

Dr Chishti who is Chairman of Universal Interfaith peace Mission and Coordinator of United Religions Initiatives, Multi Cooperation Circles, Islamabad Capital Territory (URI MCCI ICT) told The News’ that work on laying down sewerage lines began in mid June this year after an extensive drive by the area dwellers from the platform of UIPM and URI MCC, Islamabad.

“After the approval of the budget during 2016-2017, Public Works Department (PWD) awarded contracts to four contractors to complete the task of laying down sewerage line in the area where majority of the residents comprises members of minorities including Christians and some Muslim and Hindu families,” he added.

Naming some such colonies which are located along Islamabad Expressway only few kilometres from Zero Point include Father Colony, Salvation Army Colony, Christian Colony, Chashma Town, Iqbal Town, Raja Nizamuddin Town which comprise an overall area of New Sohan and has registered voter count of over 4,000; where around 8-10 thousand families reside amid broken roads, stranded sewerage is a picture of distress and resembles like a village in remote area of the country. There are 83 denominations of Christian community and 13 mosques in these localities.

The work on laying down sewerage line in the area, Dr Chishti said began on June 16, 2017 and total length of the project is 4700 feet. “Every contractor has to complete 1175 feet length of the sewerage line. Contractor Anwar started the work on June 16 and till date has completed only 400 to 450 feet long sewerage line in last 120 days,” he said adding this has created problems for the area dwellers as it has become problematic for them to cross the streets as most of them are dug up and the remaining are full of open sewage. “If one calculates the area the contractor’s team works on daily is only 3 to 4 feet which is insufficient when you look at the enormity of the project,” said URI coordinator who on the plea of the residents of the area has taken it upon himself to raise the issue with city administration from the URI platform.

Dr Chishti said that the area dwellers fear that the pace of work will create numerous problems for them as they can hardly move in the area and all their routine works have been disturbed and if the pace of the work remains the same than they will have to suffer more.

“The question is about the welfare of the residents of these localities who are both Muslims and Christians. They are human beings first of all and every human being has a right to live honourably. As  the city fathers have approved budget for the project of laying down sewerage lines then the PWD and its contractors should be asked to complete the work in a stipulated timeframe, it will ease the life of the area inhabitants who will be over the moon as their life will ease out with this project, said Dr Chishti.

“We appeal to Chief commissioner to urge PWD and contractors to speed up the work to ease the miseries of the inhabitants of the area,” he added.