LAHORE: Delay in the approval of major Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) schemes, including the replacement of the trunk sewer line at Khayaban-i-Firdausi in Johar Town, has created serious risks for motorists.

Recently, the traffic police closed Khayaban-i-Firdausi (LDA Complex to Shaukat Khanum intersection) for a couple of days after another depression appeared, caused by the rupture of the aging sewer line. The closure forced commuters to take lengthy alternate routes.

“You cannot imagine the fear we feel while traveling on Khayaban-i-Jinnah daily. A sinkhole or depression could appear at any time,” said a resident of Wapda Town. He added that several accidents had occurred in the area due to sudden sinkholes. “Some time ago, three people in a vehicle fell into a major sinkhole. They were injured and suffered massive losses to their vehicle. It’s high time the government intervened and addressed this issue,” he demanded.

Wasa Managing Director Ghufran Ahmad earlier said that the government had approved 25 development schemes for replacing old sewer lines in Lahore under the Annual Development Programme 2024-25. While PC-1 documents for 23 schemes were approved, those for three key projects—including the Khayaban-i-Firdausi trunk sewer—remain pending. The managing director was unavailable for comments, but a senior Wasa official confirmed that the Johar Town project was recently approved in principle during a meeting at the Planning and Development (P&D) Department.

“Once the meeting minutes are signed, administrative approval will be granted, followed by fund allocation and release. Only then can tenders be floated. This process might take another two to three months before civil work begins,” the official explained. He revealed that efforts to secure approval for this project had been ongoing since 2018.

Another critical project—the replacement of the pre-Partition brick trunk sewer line near Mayo Hospital (Neela Gunbad)—is also delayed at the P&D Department. In Thursday’s meeting, Wasa was asked to reduce the scope of this project. The official highlighted the urgency of this scheme, stating, “The 100-year-old line is disintegrating, causing road depressions and blockages due to falling bricks. Replacing this line is crucial.”

Similarly, the trunk sewer line replacement on Nazria Pakistan Road (Canal to Expo Centre and Shaukat Khanum Chowk) has been deferred, while the Iqbal Town sewer replacement project has been subjected to scope reductions. The official urged the government to expedite approvals for these essential projects.

Residents of Khayaban-i-Jinnah are increasingly frustrated with the recurring traffic congestion and safety hazards. “The government claims to be working on smooth traffic flow to reduce vehicular emissions and smog. Yet, it fails to launch essential civic projects that directly impact public safety and health,” criticised a resident of a nearby housing society. He urged the chief minister to intervene and resolve these issues on a priority basis.

It is worth recalling that in October, three people were seriously injured when their car and a motorcycle fell into a sinkhole on Khayaban-e-Firdausi, caused by the rupture of the decades-old trunk sewer line. Last year, another major sinkhole appeared in front of the Revenue Cooperative Housing Scheme entrance, injuring a family after their car fell into it. Such incidents have been recurring in this and other localities since 2018.

Experts attribute sinkholes and road depressions to factors such as underground water seepage, erosion, or poor-quality road construction. “A sinkhole forms when the ground surface loses support. Contributing factors include heavy rainfall, wastewater leakage from broken sewer lines, and the weight of fast-moving vehicles. These conditions weaken the asphalt, causing it to collapse,” an expert explained.

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2024