Expensive public clock in shambles
A large clock built at a cost of millions of rupees near the Miyawaki Forest at Rialto Chowk on Murree Road in Rawalpindi stands completely broken. PHOTO: EXPRESS
A decorative public clock, installed near the Miyawaki Forest at Rialto Chowk on Murree Road, is in ruins, with all its hands and battery stolen over a month ago.
Despite the theft and vandalism, officials from the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) have taken no action.
The clock, touted as a "game-changer beautification project" at its inauguration, was part of a costly landscape development aimed at enhancing the city's aesthetics.
Built on uneven land designed in a hill-like style to make the clock visible from afar, the project cost hundreds of thousands of rupees.
At the time of installation, senior officials, including the director generals of development authorities, announced plans to install similar clocks at other major intersections in Rawalpindi.
However, no such initiatives have materialised since.
Within just 30 days of installation, the clock was targeted by drug addicts and thieves, who removed all its components.
Once a spot where passersby would stop to check the time, the broken structure now draws sarcastic smiles from citizens as they walk past.
Interestingly, Commissioner Aamir Khattak and Deputy Commissioner Hasan Waqar Cheema regularly pass by the site but have reportedly issued no instructions to repair or remove the defunct structure. The project, which cost approximately Rs0.5 million, is now considered a financial loss.
Sources say the RDA and PHA lack the funds to restore the clock and are searching for local philanthropists to sponsor the repairs.
Officials told The Express Tribune that the theft has been documented and they hope to restore the clock soon. However, the culprits behind the theft remain unidentified.
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