Lasbela Chamber demands early reconstruction of bridge damaged by floods

KARACHI: Lasbela Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has asked to urgently start construction of the bridge and cause-way on Hub River.

Heavy Losses of production are not tolerable by the people, said Ismail Suttar, President LCCI, expressing deep concern about the inordinate delay in construction of the bridge and causeway on Hub River.

Addressing the urgent meeting of the Lasbela Chamber, he mentioned that the Hub Bridge is the main connection between Sindh and Balochistan through Lasbela district. The bridge went collapsed due to heavy rains and flooding in last monsoon season. As a result, the logistics and travelling were affected badly. Needless to say, it needed immediate attention to address this issue.

Ismail referred to the meeting of the LCCI team with NHA officials in early August 2022, to discuss the situation and its short and long-term solution.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Lasbela Murad Khan Kansi, Assistant Commissioner Lasbela, members of the Lasbela Chamber, and NHA officials.

It was assured by NHA in the meeting to build the causeway on Hub River within 15 days, once the rains were over and the flow of water in the river became normal. The estimated date to start the work was September 15, 2022.

It was noted by the LCCI members with great concern that the work on the bridge and causeway has not yet started.

Light showers on November 07, 2022, made the travelling further miserable. Missing this important road link between Sindh and Balochistan has made life extremely difficult for the people using this road to travel to Hub and beyond. The industries in Hub are sustaining heavy losses due to the difficulties of logistics of raw materials to the factories and finished goods to the customers.

Ismail also mentioned that Lasbela has the largest organized industrial cluster in Balochistan.

The losses in production are resulting in heavy losses of revenue to the government. Any further delays in the restoration of logistics through the construction of the causeway followed by the construction of the bridge quickly would result in irrecoverable losses to the business and the industry and to the nation.

Meeting urged NHA to urgently start work on the causeway and bridge as the matter has already been delayed and the winter rains have also started.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022