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Road reconstruction, reopening hit snags - Lahore_Real_Estate - 09-21-2010 11:44 AM
ISLAMABAD – While the cost of the damage to the roads infrastructure in the country due to flash floods is exceeding Rs13 billion, the reopening of the closed roads on immediate basis may cost further to national exchequer.
“The reopening of the important roads for transports, which submerged by flash floods, was not in a proper condition it may cost further loss to national kitty,” an official of the Communication Ministry told TheNation on Monday.
The reconstruction cost of the country’s roads is being estimated over Rs13 billion and still there is no release of funds by the incumbent government for construction of the roads. “It is a gigantic task and further delay in release of funds would ultimately cause big loss to the country,” official said requesting anonymity. Quoting technical experts of the roads infrastructure, the official said that the partially damaged roads by the floods were not in a condition that they could be opened for traffic in the coming days. When contacted, NHA Chairman Ch Altaf said that although roads were not in a good condition but “We have re-opened almost all the important roads for traffic.”
To a question about the release of funds for reconstruction of roads, NHA Chairman said that there was dire need of money but still it was not received for reconstruction of roads. “We are expecting money in coming days for reconstruction,” he informed. It may be mentioned here that earlier National Highway Authority (NHA) along with Asian Development Bank and World Banks had made an emergency plan for reconstruction of important roads. The initial assessments suggested that around 1,000 bridges and over 400-km of roads had been damaged, which would cost over Rs13 billion to repair. As per initial assessment in KP, around 325-km of roads and 20 bridges were damaged. In Punjab, 88-km of roads and seven bridges were damaged, while in Sindh, 139-km of roads and two bridges were affected. Likewise, in Balochistan, 20-km of roads and one bridge was damaged and 150-km of roads and 10 bridges were damaged in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. Gilgit-Skardu Road has been opened for light traffic. Mansehra-Naran-Chillas road has been opened for one-way traffic. Work on main bridges at Batakundi (at km 138) and Barwai (at km 150) have almost completed, however, temporary detour has been provided for light traffic. At Singum (at km 220) the temporary bridge has also been washed away . Ahead of it the road is closed for traffic (at Km 221-223) and traffic is being re-routed through Batuka Nala, a provincial road of Northern areas.