RAWALPINDI:
The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) has requested Rs80 million from the Punjab government desilting of Nullah Leh to improve water flow ahead of the monsoon season.
Last year, a similar amount was spent on silt removal from the drain, which frequently floods low-lying areas in Rawalpindi during heavy rains.
Despite three decades of proposed flood control and alternative traffic route projects, no significant progress has been made.
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has initiated the process of hiring a consultant for a feasibility study and detailed design of the Nullah Leh project, with an allocation of Rs41 million.
Every year, before the monsoon, silt removal is carried out along the stretch of Nullah Leh from Colonel Sher Khan Road ( previously IJP Road) to Moti Mahal Chowk on Murree Road.
The routine maintenance, aimed at restoring its width and depth to ensure an unobstructed water flow, has been a costly but essential practice for the past 30 years.
WASA outsources the desilting process through contracts, but experts suggest that having in-house heavy machinery and a dedicated team could significantly reduce costs.
In just the past two years, Rs160 million has been spent on desilting alone.
Meanwhile, the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation has been unable to prevent the dumping of waste and construction debris into Nullah Leh, which continues to shrink its width and reduce its depth.
This annual cycle of desilting and recurring costs highlights the urgent need for a permanent solution.
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