LAHORE: A large sinkhole has developed on the recently completed Structure Plan Road in Johar Town, prompting concerns over the condition of underground infrastructure beneath the newly built roadway.
The affected road stretches for around 1.5 kilometers, linking Shadiwal Chowk with Wapda Town Roundabout and Ghaffar Chowk. The project was completed roughly four months ago at an estimated cost of Rs. 455.9 million.
No injuries have been reported following the formation of the sinkhole. However, the incident has drawn attention from residents, particularly because Johar Town has experienced similar road cavities during periods of heavy monsoon rainfall.
LDA Rejects Road Construction Failure Claim
Lahore Development Authority (LDA) Director General Tahir Farooq said the road structure itself did not collapse. According to him, the damage resulted from the failure of a crown on a sewerage pipeline located around 20 feet underground.
The pipeline reportedly belongs to PIA Housing Society, shifting the focus from the newly constructed road to the condition of the underlying sewerage infrastructure.
Farooq said the LDA Engineering Wing had been instructed to recover approximately Rs. 4.1 million from PIA Housing Society for the damage. He also maintained that the LDA Engineering Wing was not responsible for the incident.
The LDA official further noted that underground utility failures can affect both newly constructed and older roads, depending on the condition of the infrastructure beneath them.
Incident Raises Questions Over Urban Infrastructure
While authorities have attributed the sinkhole to a sewerage pipeline failure, the incident highlights the importance of properly assessing underground utilities before and after major road construction.
For residents and road users, timely repairs and safety measures will remain important to prevent further damage or traffic disruptions in the area. The incident also underscores the need for coordination between development authorities and utility-owning organizations when infrastructure projects are carried out over existing underground networks.
The extent of the repair work and the timeline for fully restoring the affected section of Structure Plan Road have not been disclosed.
