UC-40 in grip of several problems

Rawalpindi : UC-40 of Rawalpindi, housing major downtown areas of the city once considered being the most sought after area for residence due to availability of basic facilities, has now become a hub of problems where majority of the old inhabitants have either left for outer city areas or are planning to do so to live peacefully.Having a distinction of housing areas like Purana Qila, Bohar Bazaar, Sarafa Bazaar, Bhabra Bazaar, Lunda Bazaar, Chitti Hattian, Moti Bazaar, Urdu Bazaar, Talwara Bazaar, Jamia Masjid Road, the major business centres of the downtown areas, which also houses Lal Haveli, the residence of Federal Minister for Railways, who in past had also enjoyed the portfolio of information minister, but now shortage of gas in winter, poor sewerage system, dangling electricity wires all over the area, out-dated streetlights, poor law and order situation, ever-increasing encroachments and dilapidated condition of streets has forced many old inhabitants to shift to outer city areas.While those who can’t afford to leave have to face all the problems in both summer and winter seasons.The Chairman Union Council-40 Kamal Haider said that Sui Northen Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) has dug out streets all over the union council to lay down new pipelines.“After completion of work, Sui Northen Gas Pipeline Limited did not cover streets with concrete. We face difficulties particularly in rainy days,” he said. The UC chairman also claimed majority of families are shifting to other areas due to lack of facilities in the union council.“We have filed several applications to start development work in our union council but Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) is not releasing funds. The MCR officials claim that Punjab government is not releasing funds,” he added.Malik Muhammad Ashraf, a 65-year-old settler of Urdu Bazaar said, “We have been settled here for over 50 years. 20 years ago our life was better as compared to today. We were poor but our life was good as we had maximum facilities of natural gas in homes, electricity, water and peaceful atmosphere. But now the situation is completely awful,” he added.Owais Ahmed Mughal, a resident of Sarafa Bazaar said that in total five tube wells in UC-40 in the areas of Bohar Bazaar, Purana Qila, Bhabra Bazaar, Near Mission High School and Jamia Masjid Road. “We enjoy water facility on daily basis but when motor of a tube well goes out of order, it takes around two to three weeks that it is repaired and people suffer,” he said.He said that all streetlights in Sarafa Bazaar are out dated therefore incidents of dacoity are one the rise day-to-day.Aroosa Tariq a housewife and resident of Purana Qila said that we are facing zero gas pressure for three months but government is looking at the whole episode with closed eyes. “There is no sewerage system as sewage overflows onto roads and streets,” she denounced. It was difficult to come out of houses as encroachment mafia has occupied roads, footpaths and even small streets. Therefore we want to shift to some other areas to have peaceful life,” she added.Waqar Ahmed, Khurram Shahzad, Muhammad Waleed, Naeem Ahmed, Muhammad Shahab and several other youngsters said that there is no a single playground in UC-40 for them to play cricket, hockey or football. We have to go far off areas to play these games, they complained.

from The News International - Islamabad http://bit.ly/2HLhPSz