DHUDIAL: Construction work on the Harar Chowk–Chohan Road has once again come to a halt after the contractor reportedly moved machinery to another project, citing a shortage of asphalt. The latest suspension has renewed frustration among residents who have been waiting for the road’s completion for four years.
Efforts by Senator Lt Gen (retd) Abdul Qayyum and Parliamentary Secretary Chaudhry Sultan Haider Ali Khan had recently raised hopes that construction would resume and the long-delayed road would finally be completed. However, the contractor’s latest withdrawal from the site has left residents disappointed and uncertain about when work will restart.
According to local residents, the contractor suspended operations after laying asphalt on approximately 1.5 kilometres of the road. The machinery was subsequently shifted to another project, reportedly because asphalt was unavailable.
Residents recalled that a similar situation occurred in March 2025, when the contractor stopped work after laying a second layer of asphalt on the section stretching from Maswal Mohra Allo Chowk to Chief Petroleum. They said the latest suspension, coming approximately 19 months later, reflected a continuing pattern of delays that has prevented the project from reaching completion.
The road serves as an important transport link for 26 villages, whose residents have faced prolonged inconvenience because of the unfinished construction. Locals expressed strong resentment over the repeated interruptions, questioning why the project had remained incomplete despite efforts by elected representatives to secure its completion.
They also criticised what they described as the contractor’s repeated failure to maintain progress, saying that shifting machinery away from the site had once again undermined public confidence in the project’s completion.
Residents have appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and the relevant authorities to intervene, investigate the reasons behind the repeated suspension of work and ensure that construction resumes without further delay.
They urged the provincial government to establish a clear completion timeline and hold those responsible for unnecessary delays accountable.
The contractor’s response to the residents’ allegations was not available in the information provided.