LARKANA, March 29: Conversion of 28- kilometer long Larkana-Mohenjodaro road into a dual carriageway, stopped since December 2010 due to paucity of funds, has made the road users to suffer.

The Rs3.5billion project had been left at the stage of 'water bound' coat, a source privy to the project affairs told Dawn. He confirmed that so far 57 per cent of the work had been completed which abruptly was stopped in December 2010.

He said that 'insurance' guarantee of the company carrying out work on the project was another problem which also delayed the project.

Initially launched on May 14, 2009, the project was to complete in a period of 12 month. Its date of completion was later extended to November 2011.

However, due to shortage of funds, it may not complete

by November 2011 which may further add to miseries of road users, he added.

The entire machinery, including asphalt, plant, pavers, rollers, dumpers, along with skilled labour, was lying idle since suspension of work. During July 2010, only a two-kilometer portion of the road could be completed.

Under NHA rules, the contractor could claim demurrages for its staff and machinery lying idle on the site.

The District Coordination Officer (DCO) of Larkana, Abdul Aleem Lashari, said funding problem was the major reason for stoppage of work but hastened to add that certain doubtful insurance documents of the construction company had also caused the delay.

Abrupt stoppage of work on the project was quite worrisome, he said adding that the matter had been conveyed to the quarters concerned.

This is an important project which could bring a positive change in Larkana and, therefore, should be started at the earliest, Mr Lashari suggested.

President of the Larkana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Bashir Ahmed Shaikh, said that abandoning of the project was disappointing for people of Larkana.

It serves as the main communication artery towards the historical site of Mohenjodaro, airport, cadet college, and the proposed campuses of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical University and Qauaid-i-Awam University of Science and Technology and Larkana Industrial Estate, he added.

Work on it should resume without wastage of time, he said and appealed to president, prime minister and other concerned agencies for early release of funds for the purpose.

Dawn has learnt that the chief secretary of Sindh and Member Construction of NHA Aurangzeb Khan will meet in Karachi on March 30 to discuss the current status of NHA's projects in Sindh, including Larkana-Mohenjodaro road.

Sources in the NHA do not see urgent availability of required funds for the project which ran into trouble in July 2010 when the department of archaeology objected over its design, which according to it, would damage parts of the historical site.