Relief for commuters in sight

Rawalpindi

Commuters travelling from the from Adiala Road and nearby areas to go to the airport and Islamabad as well as all the localities in between, can soon heave a sigh of relief as the overhead pedestrian bridge near the session courts near Jinnah Park will soon be ready for use.

This part of the road has been a bottleneck for traffic ever since the new premises were opened a few years ago with lawyers and their clients going from one side to the other in a steady stream right until the courts close. Long lines of vehicles waiting two abreast are seen crawling along until they pass the crossover point. The fact that vehicles are parked on one side of the road, in spite of the ‘No Parking’ signs, thus making the steady flow of traffic even more difficult is another story! Mind you, those working in buildings both sides of the road are the ones that are supposed to uphold the laws of the land.

The bridge had been planned some years ago -- a news item to that affect had appeared in the newspapers and given hope to the commuters. What happened after that is not known but the bridge began to be erected a few months ago, the work going at a snail’s pace. A little more patience and it will be ready for use.

But the crossover point will have to be demolished, as knowing how undisciplined we are as a nation; no one will use the bridge because it will require more of an effort! We have only to see how bridges that have been built in other areas are scarcely used, especially on the Islamabad Expressway, to realise this. People still run across the road putting their lives and that of others in danger.