Mr. Ismail Suttar, President Lasbela Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed deep concern about the inordinate delay in the start of the construction of the Bridge on Hub River and the causeway prior to that.
He was addressing the urgent meeting of the Lasbela Chamber, chaired by him. He mentioned that the Hub Bridge is the main connection between Sindh and Balochistan through Lasbela District. The Bridge collapsed due to heavy rains and flooding in the Hub River in the last monsoon. As a result, the logistics and traveling were affected badly. Needless to say, it needed immediate attention to address.
Mr. Ismail referred to the meeting of the LCCI team met 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 Mr. 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 are over and the flow of water in the river comes to 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 traveling further miserable. Missing this important road link between Sindh and Balochistan 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.
Mr. 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 on Bridge as the matter has already been delayed and winter rains have also started.