Delay in Wasa’s underground work hampering supply

Rawalpindi :It seems that Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) is not paying heed to the orders of the commissioner as it has failed to complete underground work to connect water pipelines to main supply lines. The Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) has started work on roads but could not proceed further due to the incomplete work of Wasa for over three months.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noor-ul-Amin Mengal a few days ago, ordered Managing Director Wasa to provide drinking water to Adiala Road residents on an emergency basis but the concerned department was dealing with this issue as a routine matter. The residents of Saleha Street, Munawar Colony, Dama Syedan, Ali Town, and several other areas were facing a hell-like situation because of the digging of all streets and roads. There was no communication between departments the Municipal Corporation started road construction but Wasa is yet to complete its underground work for over three months.

If Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi completes its work of carpeted roads and streets then new roads and streets will be dug out again so that Wasa could complete its work on water connections. It would not only create difficulties for the public but also be a sheer waste of public money. The Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi has stopped road construction work and is waiting for Wasa to complete the underground work. Wasa Sub Engineer (Water Supply) stopped underground work here in Saleha Street, Munawar Colony, Ali Town, and some other areas for over three months because he was not available to complete this ongoing work. The people of Chak Jalal Din also protested against the Sub Engineer (Water Supply) for not completing the work. Due to several complaints against this Sub Engineer, the Wasa higher authorities removed him from the project in Chak Jalal Din.

The people of affected areas have warned come on roads and protesting in front of Wasa office, if the work is not completed soon. Wasa Deputy Director (Water Supply) Malik Muhammad Javed said that all underground work would be completed very soon. “We are negotiating with Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) to provide full voltage light to release water supply in all areas.

But, how they could release supply water without completion of underground work. The concerned department is only making hollow claims for over three months. The government contractor Muhammad Mushtaq said how they could proceed with work on road carpeting without completion of Wasa’s underground work.