MIANWALI: Inordinate delay in shifting of electricity poles by the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) has prevented completion of construction work on Mianwali-Bannu Road.

There have been frequent accidents on the incomplete portion of the road in the last few months.

The widening of 102-kilometre Mianwali-Bannu Road started a couple of years ago from Sargodha Mor to Dara Tang in Isakhel tehsil. The project was divided into three phases by the highway department and two companies were awarded contracts.

The first phase of 26 kilometres from Sargodha Mor, Mianwali, to Khwajaabad Sharif completed one year ago but 1,600-foot portion falling in Mianwali city at Bhattianwala was left incomplete due to installation of eight electricity poles on the road. The highway department paid Rs190 million compensation to owners of houses for demolishing their structures and deposited Rs4.9 million with Fesco as shifting charges of poles but not a single pole had been installed for the last one year.

The highway department and contractor have repeatedly requested the Fesco authorities to complete their job but to no avail. Officials say the department had also paid Rs6 million to Fesco to shift poles at Kot Chandana and Isakhel.

The contractor, Mian Mohammad Khan, said his team had completed work in time one year ago.

SDO Abdul Wahab Khan, Fesco Construction Office in-charge, told Dawn that delay in shifting poles was due to technical reasons. He claimed that all poles would be installed in Mianwali and Kot Chandana in April but it could take some more time in completing process in Isakhel city.

People have expressed concern over delay in completion of the road construction, urging Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take notice of negligence of Fesco officials.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2017