LAHORE: Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has expressed frustration over the delay in the completion of the Samanabad Underpass project and has taken action to ensure its timely completion.
According to sources, to oversee the project, the CM constituted a two-member committee.
During his visit to the project site a few days ago, the CM expressed his dissatisfaction with the progress, leading to the formation of the committee.
Additionally, the CM visited the Lahore Development Authority’s (LDA) One Window Cell and expressed discontent with the performance, resulting in a change in the entire staff.
The details suggest that the caretaker government requested Muhammad Ali Randhawa to resign from one of his two positions – either Commissioner or LDA DG.
Sources in the LDA claim that the affected individuals, from whom the land was acquired for the Samanabad Underpass project, have not yet received their due payments.
Affected individuals have been facing difficulties in receiving their payments as the LAC branch in LDA has been raising objections and creating obstacles in the ownership titles.
They have also been struggling to navigate the process and obtain their rightful amounts.
In a notable development, the CM’s office issued a notification on Sunday, forming a committee specifically for the Samanabad Underpass project.
The committee will be led by the Secretary of Housing as the Convener/Member, while the Secretary of C&W will serve as a member.
Moreover, the committee’s primary responsibility will be to ensure the timely completion of the underpass.
Furthermore, it will also oversee the project’s quality of work and address any obstacles that may arise.
LDA DG Muhammad Ali Randhawa stated that the land acquisition notification for the Samanabad project has already been issued.
He assured that he will direct the Deputy Commissioner to investigate the delays in payment to the affected individuals.
Regarding the committee formed by the CM, Randhawa acknowledged the CM’s authority to establish such committees and stated that the project’s delay was partly due to the rainy season.
However, he assured that the LDA is putting in maximum effort to complete the project within the designated deadline.
Responding to concerns about his dual job, Randhawa affirmed his commitment to fulfilling both roles diligently, emphasizing that he is a public servant and will perform the tasks assigned to him by the government.
Source: The News
