In a rude awakening for the fast moving construction of infrastructure in Punjab, an overhead pedestrian bridge located on Lahore’s Ring Road collapsed on Thursday morning when a heavy transport vehicle tried to pass underneath it, apparently proving to be too high to make the pass. The impact caused the bridge to collapse and the truck driver died instantly. True to its nature, the Punjab government has moved in for damage control by making its usual loud noises and promises of swift action and accountability. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has formed an inspection team to look into all matters in the construction process of all bridges on the Ring Road, including contractual payments and audits. That is all well and good but what one fails to understand is why the Shahbaz Sharif government didn’t do all this before. Why did it wait for such a tragedy? One thanks the Lord for small mercies as there could have been many more dead and injured. The investigation into the collapse has presented its first report, in which responsibility for the incident has been laid on the dead driver. One is not surprised at this ‘finding’ — the dead can’t defend themselves — and one is sure that the Punjab government would like to lay this issue to rest as soon as possible. The head of the construction company that built the bridge has been handed over to the police on physical remand and one hopes to see a more thorough investigation. Under the auspices of the chief minister, the province, and specifically Lahore, has seen a speedy mushrooming of construction projects that include roads, bridges and housing schemes. In a bid to put Punjab on the map of progress, it seems that the chief minister has forgotten a few essentials, namely quality control, abiding by set rules and standards, and making sure that such projects do not fall under the shadow of corruption and kickbacks. The construction/contractors industry in Pakistan is one marred by siphoning off of funds, resulting in cheap materials being used and the rules and standards being ignored. Mr Sharif needs to look very carefully into the many projects that carry his stamp of approval, including the people recruited for the job and the kind of quality and ethics they provide. Heavy penalties must be imposed on those who fail to fulfil their responsibilities in any manner. *