Woes of Fazal Town residents

Not so long before the elections 2018, the streets of Fazal Town Phase-I and the adjoining localities were dug up to lay water pipelines as these areas have no water supply.

Since then they have not been repaired. People washing their cars and houses as well as leaky sewers have also worsened the situation. It is not surprising to know that streets in a poor neighbourhood always remain in bad shape.

The wealthier areas automatically land at the top of the city authorities' repair list. Walking in the streets of Fazal Town Phase-I is a safety hazard. Parts of the streets are elevated, uneven and difficult to walk. "The roads outside my home are even worse, says Zainab Hayat, living in that locality.

Cars can be seen dodging and swerving to avoid the dips and uneven portions. One can imagine the condition of bikers. It's not just Zainab. Her neighbours Qasim and Ali also express frustration over their streets. Both guys say months have gone by with no road improvement work in their area. "I've been here for almost a year and the city authorities have never tried to fix it," says Murtaza, resident of the same area. It's gotten to the point where I am worried about my kids hurting themselves," adds Murtaza."I wish I could just have the city fathers come out here and instruct them on our streets, or have their kids play a game in the street without busting their ankle. I have busted my ankle trying to run down this street," says Mehdi, a 9th class student of the area.

If driving a car into a crevice can jangle your teeth, just think what it's like to hit one while riding on a bike. Everyone loathes depressions in the streets, but they're far more dangerous for cyclists, who can't absorb the shock of hitting one. They ride around them without exposing themselves to another danger. "I frequently encounter depressions in my street that make my ride difficult," says Abul Ali.

"Yesterday on my ride home, I noticed some fresh asphalt had been put down. But only one of the three depressions had been filled. I'm not sure of the rationale for not completing the job; perhaps the workers ran out of time, or asphalt. I am dismayed as to why this time around the work was not done as in the past they always repaired the holes quickly.