LAHORE: The inordinate delay in completion of the Rs1.6bn flyover at the Shaukat Khanum intersection – connecting Khayaban-i-Firdousi and Khayaban-i-Jinnah – has become a headache for the motorists who remain stranded in the massive traffic congestions almost on a daily basis. The situation seems to have worsened these days due to dust pollution and smoggy weather conditions around the under-construction area of the project and the people, causing severe medical issues for the road users as well as those living in the area.

“I have seen many development projects like this flyover project being completed within a short span of time. But this project seems to be taking ages to complete as situation is same for the last couple of months,” Rehan, a motorist told Dawn.

“While passing through this area, I and many others remain stuck in traffic congestion for a long time, wasting our energy, fuel and time. Due to this issue, I reach my office late frequently,” he deplored.

Deadline passed six months back; LDA says flyover to partially open within days

The project–which includes a flyover, four pedestrian bridges and improvement of a number of U-turns – is being carried out for the benefit of several housing schemes such as LDA Avenue-I, Iqbal Avenue, Wapda Town, Phase-II, PIA Society, Nasheman-i-Iqbal, Lahore Garden, Valencia, OPF, Abdalian, Ghee Corporation, Airline Society, Architect Society, PCSIR-II, Lake City etc.

The Shahbaz Sharif government had launched it, expecting increase in vehicular pressure due to development of more residential schemes in the area. The project was launched in December last year with the deadline of June 15 but it’s completion does not appear likely anytime soon if it goes at the same pace.

After its completion, the flyover is expected to remove one of the bottlenecks in the southern part of the city, benefitting over 200,000 vehicles that routinely get stuck in traffic jams.

“You know the weather situation (smog) these days. But when someone passes by under-construction flyover, the pollution doubles here with clouds of dust, massive noise and vehicular smoke. This scheme has become a serious health hazard to a huge population,” Nisar, another road user deplored. He demanded the government complete the project on a top priority basis.

The construction of the flyer project had started slowing down in May — the last month of the Shahbaz Sharif’s government–owing to want of funds. The contractor slowed down the pace of the work after the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) failed to clear the payments. Later, the deadline was revised and set as Aug 25 which also passed with 20pc work still to be done.

“The project faced a delay due to non-release of funds by the interim government, which didn’t pass development budget in its annual budget for the fiscal year 2018-19 on time,” an official source said and added that the contractor tried hard to get the dues cleared but to no avail. Finally, it stopped the work.

Talking to Dawn, LDA Chief Engineer Mazhar Khan claimed the project would be partially opened for traffic within next couple of days as the engineers are awaiting completion of work on expansion joints’ curing at the flyover’s final asphalt layer.

“We will first open only the flyover for both sides traffic. For this we need two to three days, as the process of expansion joints’ curing at the roads of flyover’s both sides is underway. As soon as they are cured, we will open it,” he claimed.

Mr Khan, however, made it clear that the project’s portion under the bridge would take around 15 days more to complete. About provision of funds, he said the funds were available in the LDA’s accounts but they could not be used as the (LDA) budget is yet to be passed.

“We are expecting that the budget will be passed within a week or so, enabling us to clear the contractors’ payments and ensure completion of the project,” he expressed hope.

It may be mentioned that Shaukat Khanum flyover is a part of the rehabilitation and improvement of Khayaban-i-Jinnah (signal-free corridor) project.

“Due to an intense increase in the traffic volume, Khayaban-e-Jinnah is in very dilapidated condition. Patchwork was carried out a number of times but the condition of the road needed major improvement,” reads an internal official document which adds that the LDA prepared PC-I for rehabilitation of the road. The rehabilitation mainly included the restructuring of left carriageway (Raiwind Road-bound) from sub-grade level while on right carriageway, only ancillary works were proposed.

The document further says the Shaukat Khanum Hospital Intersection connecting Khayaban-i-Jinnah, Khayaban-i-Firdousi and Southern bypass remains choked due to long vehicular queues and traffic jams. Redressing the same, the Punjab government through the LDA started the construction of the flyover at Shaukat Khanum intersection to make it signal-free junction.

“M/s Nespak recommended two protected U-turns along southern bypass which will also ease out the traffic flow along Khayaban–i-Jinnah and Khayaban–i-Firdousi, as well. Moreover, storm water drainage is the key factor to enhance the road life and in view to address the issue of present storm water drainage condition of Khayaban-i-Jinnah, RCC drain and rider sewer are proposed by M/s Nespak along right carriageway,” the document explains.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2018