Probe team presents report on Lahore’s Mall Road sinkhole

LAHORE: A committee set up by the caretaker Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Hassan Askari has submitted its fact-finding report on the sinkhole that developed at the Mall following a heavy downpour.

The report was submitted at a meeting presided over by Caretaker Punjab Transport Minister Mian Nauman Kabir at the Civil Secretariat on Thursday.

In the report, a Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) duct and non-construction of retaining wall were cited as the main reasons for the sinkhole’s emergence.

A 20ft deep and 200ft long ditch emerged on Mall Road in front of the General Post Office (GPO) after the heaviest rains in 38 years turned roads into rivulets in Punjab’s capital city.

Addressing the meeting, Mian Nauman Kabir said that the committee only presented a fact-finding report; those responsible for the incident should also be identified so that stern action could be taken against them as per the law.

Punjab Chief Secretary Akbar Durrani ordered the committee to also find those who committed negligence and submit a report within three days.

He directed that the survey of the 1.7 kilometres long underground track of Orange Line Train be conducted as early as possible so that such an unfortunate incident could be avoided in future.

He also issued necessary instructions to the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General (DG) and other departments regarding the implementation of the remedial measures proposed by the committee.

The meeting was attended by caretaker Punjab Housing Minister Saeed Ullah Babar, Communication and Works Department secretary, Lahore Division commissioner, Lahore deputy commissioner, Lahore Development Authority (LDA) chief engineer and others.