Fund shortage halts work on road infrastructure projects

Gul Hamaad Farooqui

CHITRAL: Scores of development projects launched in both Lower and Upper Chitral have either been left incomplete or work on them are progressing at a snail’s pace due to unavailability of funds.

Chief Engineer Communication and Works Department Muhammad Uzair inspected these projects during his three-day visit to Chitral.

He inspected the RCC bridge at Ukeel for Oveer valley in Upper Chitral. The girder of this bridge had fallen last year when it was being installed over the river.

Now the bridge is complete except its finishing touches and painting.

He also inspected the Booni-Buzund road work on which is facing delay. The contractor has installed only one excavator on the road construction.

Work on the Category ‘C’ hospital in Booni, the headquarters of Upper Chitral district, started in 2016 but was later halted due to lack of funds. Work on the project is now underway.

Besides, work is going on at a snail’s pace at an RCC bridge at Istaro in Torkhow valley.

Various projects in Lower Chitral, including the judicial complex at Jughoor, are abandoned due to unavailability of funds. Rescue 1122 building at Denin is also yet to be completed.

The construction of an RCC bridge  at Mroi is almost complete except blacktopping of the approach roads.

Work on the construction of an RCC bridge on Chitral River in front of Ayun started four years ago but the contractor, Muhammad Khan, stopped the work due to unknown reasons.

After inspecting the bridge, the chief engineer called the contractor to explain why the work was stopped. The contractor said the work was stopped due to  the Covid-19 lockdown. However, the chief engineer said the coronavirus pandemic started in March this year while work on the bridge was halted two years ago.

He warned the contractor to start the work immediately otherwise legal action would be taken against him.

Anither RCC bridge is under-construction at Osiak near Drosh. The bridge was approved in 2016 but is yet to be completed.

After the tender, the work was taken over by the contractor Muhammad Khan but he delayed the work due to which its security was confiscated (forfeited) and the contract was awarded to Asmar Khan, another contractor, who started work..

Executive Engineer Chitral Usman Yousuf Shinwari briefed the chief engineer about the project and said construction of the 92-metre-long bridge began on May 20 this year and will be completed in two years.

Social activists Gulzar Wali Khan, Razitu Billah, Imranul Mulk and others from Drosh met the chief engineer and expressed satisfaction over the work and said it would be completed without further delay.

Talking to ChitralToday, the chief engineer said the girder of Ayun bridge would be installed at the end of November.