Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has defended the unusual decision to construct a new road in Hyderabad while electricity poles remained in the middle of the carriageway.
Speaking in Karachi, Shah said the provincial government deliberately completed the road’s initial construction to put pressure on the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) to relocate the electricity infrastructure.
The road connects Alamdar Chowk with Qasim Chowk and the Old National Highway. It attracted widespread attention after pictures and videos showed vehicles and motorcycles navigating around electricity poles standing along the newly paved route.
According to the chief minister, the Sindh government had already provided funds to HESCO for relocating the poles. However, the electricity company delayed the work despite receiving payment.
Shah explained that the government decided to proceed with road construction so that public attention would force the concerned company to complete the relocation process.
He also thanked the media and social media users for highlighting the issue, saying their coverage helped increase pressure on the electricity company.
The chief minister said he had been informed that HESCO had removed 25 electricity poles following the public criticism.
Shah also explained that the road project initially faced difficulties because the required land involved military authorities and cantonment boards.
Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah coordinated with the relevant authorities to secure permission for the land. This allowed the provincial government to move forward with the construction work.
The road is part of a wider infrastructure development programme in Hyderabad aimed at improving connectivity and reducing traffic pressure on busy routes around Qasim Chowk and Qasimabad.
Meanwhile, HESCO Chief Faizullah Dahri provided details about the electricity infrastructure relocation. He said the company had installed 100 new poles for the project, with 62 shifted as part of the ongoing work.
The power infrastructure serves multiple feeders connected to the 132-kilovolt Qasimabad Grid Station.
However, the presence of electricity poles along the road has raised concerns about commuter safety. Motorists and motorcyclists have reportedly been forced to change direction to avoid the obstacles.
Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner Zainul Abedin Memon clarified that the road had not been formally opened and that construction work was still underway. He also said barricades and warning signs had been placed to prevent premature use of the route.
The district administration stated that the remaining electricity poles were expected to be relocated by November 10.
In other news read more about: Construction Blunder? Container Truck Gets Stuck Under New Flyover in KP
The controversy has highlighted coordination problems between government departments and utility companies during major infrastructure projects. Residents are now waiting for HESCO to complete the remaining work so the road can become safer and fully operational.
