LAHORE: Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) Lahore has made 16 Emergency Response Centers (ERCs) fully operational in various choking points of the provincial capital to avoid any untoward situation during upcoming monsoon season.
These 16 centres will cover 29 already identified choking points of the city in addition to the other parts of the provincial capital where storm water needed speedy disposal on emergency basis to avoid urban flooding during rains.
WASA Deputy Managing Director Ghufran Ahmed told reporter that sufficient equipment along with De-Watering pumps and other machinery had been provided at the ERCs. He said the required staff will work round the clock in three shifts to ensure timely disposal of rainwater from the choking points. He said that special monitoring will be carried out around the under passes to avoid any untoward situation.
WASA established 16 ERCs in major choking points including Lakshmi Chowk, Kashmir Road, GPO Chowk, Sheranwala Gate, Shalimar Flyover Baghbanpura, Cooper Road, Qartaba Chowk, Lytton Road, Rasool Park, Dubai Chowk Iqbal Town, Nabha Road, SOS Village, Firdous Market, Ek Moria Pull, Chowk Nakhuda, Bhatti Gate, Tikka Chowk Johar Town, Alhamd Colony, Railway Station, Dumoria Pul, Jinnah Hospital U-Turn, Empress Road, Shah Jamal, Bagheechi Saethan GT Road, B Block Tajpura, Qainchi Chowk Ferozepur Road, Poonch Road, Usman block Garden Town and Sultan Ahmed Road.
The DMD Operation told that following the directions by WASA MD, strict monitoring would be ensured and all staff has been directed to remain in field. He added that leaves of all staff have been cancelled from July 01 to September 15 to ensure availability of sufficient workforce during the rains.