Residents demand repair of broken roads in capital

The citizens of Islamabad city from sector F-6 and G-7 have demanded the authorities concerned to pay attention on urgent repairs of broken roads which are not only causing traffic jams but also endangers public safety as accidents are likely to occur. According to residents’ complaints, the majority roads of sectors of capital city are giving a nightmare look for residents as these have not been re-carpeted for the past many years and travelling on these dilapidated roads has been causing inconvenience for motorists. A resident talking to a this scribe said travelling with worst condition of roads were only time consuming besides it was not only posing a danger to motorists but also to pedestrians. With recent spell of rain heaps of mud and sand along the dug up roads have become nuisance which has not only been causing suffocation but also cause viral infection for residents, said a resident of F-6. The recent spell of rains have turned the situation more worse due to water-logging in the ditches and heaps of garbage resulting in frequent road accidents in these areas of G-7 and F-6, said a motorist. A resident said despite repeated requests to the Capital development Authority (CDA) to repair the broken roads, nothing had been done besides giving flimsy promises. The residents urged CDA to take practical steps on urgent notice on the concerned matter before a serious accident occurs at these locations as a heavy flow of traffic was always witnessed on these roads. Another citizens said that Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan but broken roads and chocked sewerage systems have been damaging the overall image of the city. He emphasized that CDA should address the key issues on priority basis that will help in smooth growth of business and traffic flow. A CDA official claimed that Capital Development Authority has continued with repair, maintenance and patch work of all major roads and workers will be strictly directed to look after rest of broken roads where complaints come and it will also be repaired as soon as possible. Meanwhile, to provide best healthcare facilities to the residents of Rawalpindi, the District Health Authority would carry out work on seven new health schemes and uplift projects during the current fiscal year which would be completed at cost Rs 703.253 million. District Health Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dr Faiza Kanwal while giving details of the projects told APP that a Mother and Child health center would be set up at the cost of Rs 33.253 mln in the PP-18 constituency while a basic health unit at Dhoke Munshi Khan area would be constructed at the cost of Rs 55 mln in the PP-13 constituency. Similarly, Wah General Hospital would be upgraded to a District Headquarters level hospital at the cost of Rs 150 mln in PP-20. Dr Faiza said that construction of additional rooms and provision of missing facilities would be provided at Basic Health unit Kotha Kalan at the cost of Rs 60 million in PP-13. She further informed that improvement of emergency services at Tehsil Headquarter hospital, Kahutta would be carried out at the cost of Rs 100 mln in PP-7. “Seven dispensaries including four in city Union councils, UC- 42, UC-43, UC-44, UC-45 and three in RCB areas include wards 2,3 and 5 would be upgraded in order to reduce the load on government-run hospitals at the cost of Rs 85 mln,” she added. The CEO informed that PC-1 of the up-gradation of Tehsil Headquarter Hospital, Taxila from 40-bedded hospital to 100 beds costing Rs 220 million has been sent to divisional development committee for approval. Dr Faiza informed that the Divisional Development Committee headed by Commissioner Rawalpindi had approved the establishment, up-gradation, construction and improvement of seven schemes in various constituencies of the district in order to bring a visible change in the delivery of health services. She said the health department was determined to upgrade the existing health facilities in the district and was using all available resources to carry out an evident change in the provision of health services.