LAHORE:To ensure quality of construction work and timely repair and maintenance of city roads, Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has initiated an inquiry into the deteriorating condition of Raiwind Road.
Recently, The News has reported that the Raiwind Road, which is being used by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz regularly, needed immediate attention due to potholes, scars and cracks.
Sources in CM office revealed that the CM has also taken a serious notice of the report and expressed her displeasure over the issue. Following the publication of the story, LDA DG Tahir Farooq deputed LDA’s Director P&D Hassan Gillani to visit the road and point out the shortcomings along with observations with fixing the responsibility of the contractor as well as the officer of LDA’s Engineering wing.
Hassan Gillani while talking to The News said that the DG directed him to visit the Raiwind Road and submit a report. A senior official of LDA’s Engineering wing claimed that the road was recently rehabilitated but the ‘eyewash’ beautification was scraping off now while the greenbelt was either absent or was unattended.
During the survey conducted by The News, it was revealed that the tuff tiles installed on both sides of the road were absent from different patches while at many points the tiles have become uneven and broken. At many points, the tough tiles abruptly ended leaving the muddy area alongside the road due to which it looks ugly. Appearance of potholes, scars and cracks on different parts of the road also raised a question mark over the performance of LDA’s Engineering wing, especially about their repair and maintenance strategy.
Meanwhile, the LDA DG called a meeting of the engineering wings of LDA and Tepa on Wednesday and got briefings over the progress of ongoing development projects in the City. He reviewed the urban regeneration, sustainable development projects and directed for expediting the ongoing urban regeneration works at Railway Station, Circular Road and Azadi Chowk. He stressed that development works should also be started in Misri Shah.
The DG reviewed the progress of ongoing works on Khurshid Kasuri Road, College Road, Mini Market and Main Boulevard Garden Town. He also reviewed the progress of Data Darbar, Nasser Bagh and Neela Gumbad projects. The work on the expansion of Data Darbar, remodeling of Bhati Chowk and construction of pedestrian underpass was progressing rapidly. The DG also held a meeting to ensure fire safety measures in commercial and high-rise properties in LDA controlled areas.
He directed to immediately seal properties and take strict legal action if fire safety measures were not taken. It was decided to tighten fire safety measures on old, new and under-construction properties. He said that geo-tagging and digital surveys of all new, old and under-construction high-rise properties will be conducted. DG directed all commercial and public offices and properties to ensure fire safety measures within a month.
He directed for clearing the basement, emergency entry and exit of all high-rise buildings and commercial properties and removing encroachments. The DG said that emergency stairs should be installed in old plazas and high-rises buildings in LDA controlled areas. All such activities including building kitchens in basements, installing LPG cylinders and boilers in commercial properties and offices should be stopped. He directed that fire hydrants and smoke detectors should be installed in commercial and high-rise properties. Fire safety drills should be conducted in collaboration with Rescue 1122. Properties that do not take fire safety measures should be sealed, fined and legal action should be taken.
