Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: It seems that the authorities concerned may have ignored the electric and telephone cables lying on roads and footpaths in newly developed sector G16, making it difficult for commuters to travel and pedestrians to walk on, respectively, Daily Times has learnt.

There are usually two methods of provision of electricity to households and commercial sites – either through underground circulation of wires or connecting through installation of poles – but sector G16 presents a different picture as telephone and electric wires are scattered on roads and footpaths.

According to information available, the sector was inaugurated around ten years ago. The Capital Development Authority (CDA) had handed it over to Ministry of Interior Employees Cooperative Housing Society (MIECH) with an agreement that the sector would be run by the society till its complete development.

Surprisingly, the source of electricity supply is also “unknown” as according to the residents of the area, they have asked society officials several times about the matter, but they refuse to reply for unspecified reasons.

When Daily Times tried to contact the Ministry of Interior Employees Cooperative Housing Society officials, no body was available for comment. However, a junior official, wishing anonymity, says that a grid station is being installed in sector F15 to supply electricity to few developing sectors including G16. “Work on installation of the grid station would be completed soon,” he said.

When asked about the current source of electricity provision, the official wished not to reply.

Sources said that the MIECH was charging residents Rs 18.4 per unit while the Islamabad Electric Supply Company was charging Rs 16 per unit.

Interestingly, bright-painted transformer and telephone boxes are installed empty with no equipment inside them.

Residents of sector G16 have expressed serious concern over the mismanagement. A resident of the sector said empty transformer and telephone boxes had been erected to attract customers to buy plots.

Waqas Kiyani, a resident of the sector, said there were no planned drainage, electricity and security system in the sector, and the Ministry of Interior Employees Cooperative Housing Society was just making money without solving the resident’s problems.

Nasir Hassan, another resident of the sector G16/4, showed concern over poor arrangements in the sector. “Despite repeated complaints, the authorities concerned are least bother to solve them,” Hassan said.

Several attempts were made to contact Islamabad Electricity Supply Copmany CEO Rana Abdul Jabbar and Spokesperson Aksheen Mudassar but their cell phones remain unattended.