PESHAWAR: The construction of over three kilometers long stretch of a Peshawar road to divert Afghanistan-bound transit containers from Hayatabad residential township hasn’t begun in the last five months due to a delay in land acquisition.

Dawn has learnt that the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) had approved PC-I for the construction of the ‘detour road’ through Achini’s remaining portion (Phase-II) at the cost of Rs1.53 billion in Dec 2019.

The project was conceived to connect Frontier Corps Road with southern section of Ring Road and thus, providing an alternate route to the Afghanistan-bound heavy cargo trucks passing through the posh Hayatabad residential area before hitting the Peshawar-Torkham Highway.

The residents have been protesting the passage of those trucks complaining about the frequent traffic disruption and damage to the road for not being meant for commercial traffic.

PDA blames district admin for delay in land acquisition

An official document shows that the bid for road project were opened in August last year, while its work order was issued to the contractor on Oct 26, 2020 but there was no physical progress on the project despite the passage of around five months.

It said the relevant government agencies had failed to provide the site’s physical possession to the contractor.

The document revealed the ‘mobilisation’ of the contractor at the site.

The required funds for the acquisition of land have already been provided to the PDA.

The document said the PDA requested the deputy commissioners of Peshawar and Khyber districts on Jan 6, 2020, to issue a notification under sections 6 and 7 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.

Section 6 provides for declaration that the land in question in required for a public purpose, while Section 7 says after declaration, the commissioner directs the collector to take orders for the acquisition of land.

A source said the irony was that though the project contract had been awarded, the required land hadn’t been acquired.

A PDA official blamed the delay in land acquisition on lack of coordination between administrations of Khyber and Peshawar districts.

He said the PDA had been provided with Rs451 million funds for acquiring land and paying the costs of the structures to be demolished but the delay in land acquisition hampered the project.

The official claimed that the transfer of the PDA’s land acquisition collector (LAC) and DG also contributed to the delay.

He said the road section, which was around 3.3 kilometers in length, could be completed within six months to one year time.

The official said currently, DCs of Khyber and Peshawar districts could resolve the issues in no time.

“The issue could be resolved in one day if the district administration actively pursues it,” he said.

The official said several letters had been written to the commissioner of Peshawar and DCs of Khyber and Peshawar to speed up the process besides the PDA’s own LAC, but to no avail.

However, an official of the Peshawar district administration said the PDA had own collectors, so it could acquire the land on its own.

He said Peshawar’s district administration had nothing to do with it.

“We will be there to resolve issues if the PDA needs any assistance,” he said.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2021