M. Bilal Baseer Abbasi
ABBOTTABAD: Despite the groundbreaking ceremonies for the reconstruction of Qazi Sajawal Khan-BHU Mohra Road by the PML-N secretary general, former governor KP Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan and member of the National Assembly (MNA) NA-17, Abbottabad-1 Doctor Azhar Khan Jadoon from PTI in 2015, the Communication and Works (C & W) department Abbottabad division is yet to begin the repair work.
The People of Birote-Khurd from various villages have demanded of the authorities for early completion of road as they have been facing difficulties while travelling on Qazi Sajawal Khan-BHU Mohra road due to its dilapidated condition. Birote-Khurd, a rural hilly area of Abbottabad district which routes are in very dilapidated condition.
The Qazi Sajawal Khan-BHU Mohra road was the only route for the residents of Birote Khurd to access other parts of the area.
Local residents have demanded that the road be repaired but the area’s MNA from PTI Dr. Azhar Jadoon and political ruler of the area for last 32 years from PML-N Sardar Mehtab Ahmed Khan who is now Advisor to Prime Minister for aviation, both had performed the groundbreakings and installed their plaques, have not initiated steps for its actual reconstruction.
Talking to The Frontier Post, elder of the area, Mohammad Muneeb Abbasi, said the Qazi Sajawal Khan-BHU Mohra road is backbone for Birote-Khurd, as it connects dozens of villages of Birote Kallan and Khurd, it also links to Birote with other part of the district.
He alleged that elected representative had used this road project as a tool of politics for elections and adding that people of the area were facing problems while shifting their patients to hospitals and apparently the area is cut off from the other parts of the district.
“We have again and again apprised our elected representatives about the condition of this road but our requests met with deaf hears”, Muneeb added. Sadaqat Khurshid Abbasi, social worker of the area said approximately 26,000 people living in the mountainous villages of Birote Khurd and nearby areas would benefit from the respecting road if it constructed and adding that living conditions in the area is miserable due to the road’s absence.
When contacted Communication and Works (C&W) department Abbottabad division, Sub Divisional Officer (SDO), Eng. Syed Tariq Shah told The Frontier Post that the contract of the road was awarded in 2015 to contractor with the estimated cost of Rs 43.373 million in which rehabilitation of 4-Km portion of Qazi Sajawal Khan road from Hotrol bridge to BHU Mohra which was declared in provincial Annual Development Program (ADP) session 2015-16. “Though contractor had started work on the project but, due to insufficiency of development funds for the road work has been retarded and still in rudimentary phase”, he asserted. MPA Sardar Fareed Ahmad Khan, while talking to The Frontier Post said that the development works in his constituency have been stopped due to insufficiency of funds.
He told that this road was a part of development package for Galiyat in Annual development program (ADP) 2015-16 but, unfortunately, the PTI led-provincial government did not provide funds for the projects.
Moreover, member of the National Assembly (MNA) Abbottabad-1 from PTI, Doctor Azhar Khan Jadoon told the correspondent that he had a meeting with Chief Minister of KP about the delay in development work of these roads project as it was a package of five roads for different UCs of Bakote area in his constituency by CM KP which later included in provincial annual budget ADP 2015-16. BHU-Mohra road 4-Km portion reconstruction and rehabilitation is one of these. “During meeting CM KP Pervez Khan Khattak had assured me that he has issued the directive and the rehabilitation works of all these roads included in concerning package will restart very soon”, Dr. Azhar Jadoon added.
