Govt blindly spending funds on roads carpeting
By:
Yasir Habib Khan |LAHORE
- Unnecessary carpeting of roads, mostly those of newly-constructed
ones, is on the rise in different parts of the City, reflecting that
the authorities concerned want to end up earmarked funds for the
rehabilitation and construction of roads before the end of financial
year 2008-09.
It is a routine practice that authorities concerned always try to
use up maximum funds allocated in the fiscal year before they lapse.
The main purpose behind the practice is to get illegal chunks of
money into the funds.
Sources said whenever the development scheme was launched often
corrupt officials remained busy in embezzling big percentage of
funds earmarked for the development work with impunity.
“When they observe that allocated fund is going to lapse at the end
of financial year, needless development work is started without any
designing and planning. And the over-layering of road carpeting is
the perceptible example in this regard,” sources informed.
One could witness the new carpeting of roads especially at right
side of Alhamra Arts Council, Samnabad, Johar Town and others areas
that have been constructed one or two months back. Ridiculously,
authorities concerned do not bother to take some steps for the
preparation of the road to make it ready for the layering of
asphalt.
With the extra layering, road level rises. As the practice continues
next year, road level keeps getting higher and higher. Consequently
level of buildings on either side of road goes down that impair the
balance of the road and its surroundings.
As per former TEPA Chief Engineer Khushhal Khan, over-layering of
carpeting damage the road level. He said if it was necessary to lay
down the asphalt layer, first the road should have been scrapped
completely. “Putting layer over layer is just waste of money and
time.” he added.
He said road that had around 4 inches of layer of asphalt carried 10
years life while longevity of those road having 2 inches of
carpeting was restricted to 5 to 6 years.
The Nation:: May 25, 2009 |
