Ring Road authority lodges complaint with PHA

The Lahore Ring Road Authority (LRRA) has lodged a complaint with Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) regarding maintenance of green areas of Lahore Ring Road Project, northern loop.

Sources in PHA said the LRRA vide a letter dated July 16, 2020, with the subject “Maintenance of Green Areas” has lodged the complaint which said that during the site visit of the subject project, it has been observed with high concern that maintenance of green areas of Lahore Ring Road Project, northern loop, has been ignored at various locations. Most motors for watering of plants on Nawaz Sharif Interchange, Ghazi Interchange, Abdullah Gul Interchange and Airport Road were found out of order, the letter said adding grass in triangles of Package No 17 and 15 loops of Ghazi Interchange, Zarrar Shaheed Road, roundabout at Mehmood Booti is highly affected due to water shortage. The letter added that many trees in centre median of Package 6 in front of the airport are burnt.

LRRA authorities, in the letter, asked the PHA authorities to ensure regular watering and to increase efforts to improve the situation. It said the government curtailed the maintenance grant of LRRA due to COVID-19. The payment of the first, second and third quarters FY 2019-20 has been made to PHA amounting to Rs40.512 million while the payment of the fourth quarter will be paid as the government released the budget.

On the other hand, PHA is without any head as its Acting DG Tariq Basra who was additional director general too was made OSD on Tuesday last following the visits of the chief minister to the areas of the provincial metropolis.

This scribe contacted the PHA director headquarters who said that PHA has already developed several new green belts and green areas on Lahore Ring Road. He said small issues always arise but are settled amicably.