SHC calls report on Nawabshah-Ranipur road project

KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed provincial law officer to submit fresh report on 130-kilometer-long Nawabshah-Padidan-Ranipur road being constructed under foreign assistance.

A division bench of SHC, headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, was hearing the petition filed by Ahmed Ali Wassan that sought action against inaction, and lethargy of officials in completion of project of improvement and reconstruction of about 150-kilometer-long road between Nawabshah district & Padidan and Ranipur, named as Nawabshah Raod-Ranipur road, as the project appears to have been abandoned in halfway.

The petitioner had submitted that about 10 million people of three districts – Nawabshah, Naushero Feroz, Khairpur Mirus and upper Sindh have been deprived of easy short and comfortable travelling and access to various villages and towns of about three districts and upper Sindh.

It was submitted that funds for the project were provided by Asian Development Bank and the project was to cost about Rs 2.4 billion. Only a very small portion of total 150-km long road has been completed so far. The project was launched in October 2004.

Although the same was to be completed within 30 months of the issuance of the commencement order by the government to the contractors, the petitioner added.

The work is given up and is at standstill since a long time and appears to have been abandoned. No one know regarding the amount of expenditures incurred upon the small piece of work done so far.

He prayed to the court to direct provincial government to get the remaining portion of the project completed within a period of six months. (PPI)