LAHORE: Lahore, the capital of Punjab, witnessed the paint of a newly constructed bike lane worth millions of rupees wash away after just one rainfall. Following this, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) issued a show-cause notice to the contractor responsible for the project.
According to media reports, orange and green paint was used for the pilot bike lane project on Ferozepur Road. However, the first rain exposed the poor quality of the paint.
After the rain, the paint began to peel off, turning the track into a slippery surface and increasing the risk of traffic accidents. Water accumulated at various points on the lane, causing significant difficulties for motorcycle riders.
The report further stated that the LDA had spent over 11 crore rupees just on the paint for the bike lane. However, light rain was enough to render it ineffective.
Taking the matter seriously, LDA Director General Tahir Farooq issued a notice to the contractor. An LDA spokesperson stated that the contractor had used locally manufactured paint, costing 153 rupees per square foot.
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In contrast, imported paint would have cost 1,270 rupees per square foot. The spokesperson added that using imported paint would have increased the project cost by 8 to 10 times.
The LDA mentioned that the contractor had provided a one-year maintenance guarantee for the project and was bound to offer free repairs, maintenance, and improvements during this period.
Despite this, the paint washing away after the rain raised questions about the project’s quality. The LDA stated that the contractor has started repainting the affected sections of the bike lane, and a technical committee has been formed to review the paint’s quality.
The technical committee is working with the paint manufacturer to improve the binding quality of the paint. The LDA spokesperson confirmed that no payment will be made to the contractor until the committee submits its report and verifies the paint’s quality.
