Work on Rs300m uplift schemes remains stalled

Rawalpindi: Work on around 24 development schemes worth of Rs300 million in city remains stopped due to non-release of funds for more than four months. 20 to 30 per cent work was completed on all schemes in city and Potohar Town areas but the work is yet to resume after Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) stopped it before elections 2018.

Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) Chief Officer Syed Shafqat Raza told ‘The News’ that they were waiting for the orders of Punjab government to start work on these development projects. “Work was stopped due to non-release of funds, he said. “Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the very next day of elections had ordered to immediately restart work on all development projects but so far nothing has been done yet,” he claimed.

He said that delay will increase the cost of projects. Former Punjab government had allocated Rs300 million for 24 development schemes in the city areas. “But work has remained stalled for more than four months due to non-release of funds,” he said. Public of affected localities is continuously coming to my office to request to start work but I am helpless before this situation, he claimed.

According to data collected from Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR), Rs26.4 million were allocated for work on repair and rehabilitation of Municipal Library Liaquat Bagh project, Rs23.4 million was earmarked for repair/improvement and renovation of general bus stand Pirwdhai including waiting area, sheds, streets lights, bathrooms, corridors in front of shops. While Rs.26.4 million build was allocated for taxi stand, rickshaw stand and wagon stand at Pirwdahi Bus Stand. Rs7.492 million was allocated for repair and improvement of Slaughter House, Rawalpindi. Rs.6.045 million was earmarked for repair and improvement of staff residences of Municipal Corporation. Rs.23.04 million was allocated for repair of Pirwdahi Road. Rs.16.995 million was earmarked for work on improvement of Nullah Leh, work stopped on repairing road from Muslim Park to Khayaban-e-Sir Syed UC-11 at cost of Rs13.750 million, road work from Dhoke Najju Bridge upto IJ Principal Road UC-12 at cost of Rs13.999 million, road work stopped in UC-13 and UC-14 Khayaban at cost of Rs16.941, work stopped to improvement of road and sewerage here at Awan Colony at cost of Rs12.647 million, work stopped of a big Nullah from Jalebi Chowk to Dhok Kala Khan at cost of Rs6.85 million, work stopped in biggest Nullahs in Khurram Colony, Muslim Town UC-29 at cost of Rs15.897 million. Work stopped of road, street and sewerage in UC-20 at cost of Rs10.552 million.

Chief Officer (CO) Potohar Town Kamran Khan said that work on all development projects has remained stopped for more than four months. There is dire need to restart work to complete all schemes otherwise the project cost will rise, he said.