Suthra Punjab vehicles lie unused, rusting

RAWALPINDI: Sanitation vehicles procured under the Suthra Punjab cleanliness programme have remained parked in the open for around one-and-a-half years near the Pothohar Town office and the Facilitation Centre at the District Courts complex, where their condition has deteriorated, according to officials and local sources cited in complaints.

The vehicles include loaders, trolleys, tractors and small utility vehicles. They have reportedly sustained rusting and fading paint after prolonged exposure to rain and harsh sunlight. Complaints also alleged that several of the parked vehicles had lost tyres, spare parts and seats because of inadequate security during evening and night hours.

Many of the vehicles are now close to becoming unusable after being left unattended for a long period. Concerns were raised repeatedly with the relevant authorities, but no effective steps were taken. Complaints were also lodged with the Suthra Punjab Authority, though the issue of the vehicles' protection and upkeep reportedly remained unresolved.

People visiting or moving around the court area after sunset had started removing spare parts from the vehicles standing there. The vehicles had been left exposed at a site adjacent to government offices, where no adequate protective arrangements were in place.

Ownership and deployment plans

Officials of the Pothohar Town administration said the vehicles were not part of their department's assets and were only being kept next to their offices. Their position was that the vehicles had merely been stored at the location and did not belong to Pothohar Town.

The Suthra Punjab Authority said the vehicles would be put into operation from the start of the new fiscal year in July. According to the authority, they would be deployed across the Rawalpindi Division wherever they were needed.

Authorities also maintained that the vehicles were presently surplus to the requirements of Rawalpindi city, which is why they had been parked at the site on a temporary basis. However, the complaints and accounts indicated that the long period of open-air parking had already caused visible damage and raised concerns about whether some of the vehicles would remain fit for use without repairs or replacement of missing parts.