Legislators say most speed-breakers on roads illegal

KP Assembly proceedings

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was told on Monday that most of the speed-breakers on the main or link roads and streets in the province were illegal and legislation was needed to overcome this problem.

Replying to a call attention notice by Meraj Humayun Khan of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) about illegal speed-breakers, Advisor to Chief Minister on Communications Akbar Ayub said it was irritating motorists and creating hardships to public. 

Meraj Humayun said that people had erected speed-breakers in cities and villages on their own that caused traffic jams and led to accidents.

Raja Faisal Zaman of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said that the advisor admitted that roads were public property, not of individuals, but still government and departments concerned had failed to take action against illegal speed-breakers.

Akbar Ayub informed the House that only governor was authority to give permission for a speed-breaker and no other department was authorised to allow erecting a speed-breaker.

He admitted that people were erecting speed-breakers on roads and streets on their own.

The adviser said his department was not able to take action against such illegal speed-breakers in the province due to shortage of staff. He said legislation was needed to overcome this problem.

The department would definitely take action once proper legislation was done. He suggested to form a committee to prepare draft for the legislation.

Earlier during the question hour, the opposition members raised objection to allotment of local government properties on lease, non-provision of basic amenities in housing schemes, recruitment of employees, nepotism in development schemes as well as allotment of official vehicles to district and tehsil nazims and use of hooter by the nazims.

Najma Shaheen, an MPA of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), through her questions, complained that electricity, gas and water were yet to be supplied to Phase-II of the Kohat Development Authority housing scheme, the two playgrounds at Phase-1 had no necessary facilities while commercial plots in the KDA and Kotal Shopping Arcade had been allotted on low rates.

The Pakistan Muslim League-N parliamentary leader, Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha, had sought details about allotment of plots to influential people in Galyat Development Authority, Abbottabad. He demanded referring the matter to the committee concerned.

Minister for Local Government and Rural development Inayatullah did not oppose the demand. The questions were referred to the relevant committee.

To a question by Uzma Khan of JUI-F, the minister said that official vehicles were allotted to the district and tehsil nazims of Upper and Lower Dir as they were entitled as per the government decision.

Regarding use of hooter by some of the nazims, the minister said anybody could use hooter as there was no law forbidding its use.

The House also unanimously passed a resolution moved by Sardar Hussain Chitrali, demanding provision of 30 megawatts electricity to Chitral from the 130-megawatt Golan Gole powerhouse.

The resolution said the four megawatts Raishoon Powerhouse damaged in the 2015 flash flood was yet to be repaired and the people were deprived of electricity.

Since the prime minister and chairman of Wapda had announced provision of electricity to locals from the Golan Gole powerhouse, the promise should be honoured, it added.

Earlier, opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rahman complained about treasury benches non-seriousness. He asked Deputy Speaker Dr Mehr Taj Roghani to prorogue the session if ministers were not attending the house to reply the questions.

Only Law Minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi and Akbar Ayub from the PTI and Local Government Minister Inayatullah from the JI were present, besides a few MPAs from PTI and three from JI.