Peshawar roads in total chaos

Dawn.com

Chaotic traffic in the provincial capital is causing road users a lot of stress but the relevant authorities have yet to put in place a reliable, effective traffic management system. Soon after its formation, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced construction of 11 overhead bridges and underpasses to manage traffic, but work could begin on two overhead bridges and two underpasses only. Work on two overhead bridges on GT Road and Courts Road has disrupted the entire traffic system to the misery of motorists, who usually cover a distance of 15 minutes in one hour during rush hours. However, traffic police are pessimistic about traffic management in view of the construction of two main overhead bridges in the city. Some traffic sergeants deployed on different roads told Dawn that overhead bridges or flyovers could bring positive change to traffic system but the problem was very complex in Peshawar mainly due to massive roadside encroachments and presence of illegal vehicles on the roads. They said a strong will was required to resolve the problem as local politicians didn’t let police take action against those responsible for messy traffic. “We launched campaigns against illegal vehicles, horse-driven carts and encroachments in collaboration with the relevant town municipal administrations but had to abandon them due to political interference,” a police officer said. He said four years ago, the government had announced 11 projects, including overhead bridges and underpasses, but it avoided them and work was initiated simultaneously on the two overhead bridges, two underpasses on University Road, sewerage lines and footpaths in different areas, which caused problems to motorists and pedestrians as well. For effectively controlling traffic chaos, the officer stressed the need for increasing traffic police manpower, closure of illegal bus and wagon stands, removal of encroachments, specification of designated bus stops, removal of illegal vehicles from Peshawar and grant of full authority to police to proceed against rule violators. According to the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) officials, no action against thousands of illegal vehicles plying the city roads was the major reason for traffic jams. They said despite a decision, the government could not restore the magisterial powers of the transport department to check traffic violations but all powers were with police officials, who generated money by not taking action against traffic rule breakers. However, RTA secretary Naseem Bacha told Dawn that the authority regularly examined route permits with transporters and responded to overcharging complaints. He said currently, there were 526 permit holder buses, 1146 minibuses on Peshawar roads but the actual number of vehicles might be higher. “The taxis with permit are 3,065 and 10626 auto-rickshaws only in Peshawar but the actual number is around 50,000,” Mr Shah said, adding that the rest of all rickshaws illegally plied the roads. The SSP traffic said police were doing best to regulate the traffic but the ongoing construction work had its impact on movement of the vehicles, saying traffic engineering had main role in the system. Peshawar Development Authority deputy director Shakeel said work on the Arbab Sikandar Khan Khalil overhead bridge at Gulbahar had been in progress and would be opened for traffic on August 14. He said its stipulated time was 24 months but the PDA completed it almost in 14 months. He said work on the Mufti Mehmood overhead bridge near Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly was also in progress and it would be completed until December 2013. He said there were some hurdles near Radio Pakistan building and Livestock Department, saying after completion of the projects, major issues of traffic in Peshawar would be solved. He said the groundbreaking ceremony of another overhead bridge at Phase III Hayatabad would be held on August 14, while two underpasses were also being constructed for pedestrians on Tehkal and Abdara roads. In charge of PDA traffic engineering Siraj Anwar said his department had planned the construction of overhead bridges after finalisation of their feasibility reports but the most important thing for solution to the problems was political will. He said enforcement of laws was basic things but there seemed no enforcement of traffic rules in Peshawar. Mr Siraj suggested that encroachments, illegal vehicles, especially auto-rickshaws, be removed for smooth flow of traffic.