Fate of Takhtbhai flyover’s project hangs in the balance

TAKHTBHAI: Work on a project of pedestrian flyovers has been stopped as National Highways Authority is mulling ways to take into confidence the local population who have reservations about it.

Local sources told The News that funds for the project were approved last month as authorities thought the project might alleviate the traffic load in the area.The flyovers, if the project continues, will be set up in Shergarh, Takhtbhai, Jalala and Gujjar Ghari areas, which are densely populated areas and normally have huge traffic. The flyovers will help people cross the road safely.

Engineer Izhar, assistant director at the NHA, told The News that the MNA Ali Mohammad Khan approved the projects and each of the projects costs Rs11.1 million, with an estimated completion time of one month.

“We are trying to satisfy some local people, as they have grabbed some portion of the road and they have reservations about the project,” he said.He added that after the completion of the projects, they also wanted to fix fence on both sides of the road.

Several area residents, when approached, said the projects would save lives on the busy road, while they will also easily go to mosques as the flyovers are to be set up near the worship places.

However, local traders said the flyovers would adversely affect their businesses. Gul Muhammad, an owner of plaza called Muhammad Tower, said that he did not want flyover in front of his marketplace.

He said vehicles are parked by customers outside his shop to take commodities but in case of flyovers, there would be no such space available for the vehicles.“The NHA should invest this money in different parts of the area to solve traffic and pollution problems, but it should not set up the flyovers,” he added.

He further said that such flyovers in other parts of KP had also failed to achieve the purpose.Meanwhile, the NHA has suspended the project in Shergarh bazar for three months as it said it was mulling to decide whether to do the project or abandon it.