Commuters’ frustration grows due to delay in Expressway construction

Islamabad:The widening and construction of the Islamabad Expressway which was meant to improve the traffic flow and infrastructure from Gulberg Greens to T Chowk, has turned into a major source of frustration for commuters who travel on this route on a daily basis. Prolonged roadworks, barricades, and resulting traffic jams have become a daily ordeal for those travelling along this route.

To make matters worse, the rising number of beggars, nimko sellers, and transgenders are exploiting the situation, demanding alms from commuters. They roam around fearlessly between the traffic and try to cover as many cars as they can. The Islamabad Expressway has been undergoing construction for an extended period, with various patches of the road still remaining incomplete.

This slow-paced progress has led to severe congestion and traffic bottlenecks, especially during rush hours. Frustrated commuters have reported significant delays in reaching their destinations, impacting both work and personal life. As if construction delay is not enough, daily breakdown of any truck or an accident plays havoc with the traffic and it takes hours to clear the traffic.

The traffic slowdown on Islamabad Expressway has created an opportunity for beggars and other individuals to capitalise on the situation. These beggars, sometimes working in groups, approach stopped vehicles and demand money from commuters. They often resort to emotional manipulation or forcefully cling onto cars, leaving commuters with little choice but to provide money to escape the uncomfortable situation. They don't leave the car unless you pay them or keep on disturbing the already frustrated driver.

Ali Khan, a daily commuter on the Islamabad Expressway, expressed his frustration, saying, "It's a nightmare every day in the morning and in the evening. Being stuck in traffic and surrounded by beggars and constant demands for money has become a routine. The construction is dragging on endlessly, and it's affecting our daily lives. Sometimes I take a very long detour from Gulberg Greens to Naval Anchorage just to avoid this mess. But now even that is not possible for me because of such high prices of fuel. My fuel consumption has skyrocketed because of the alternative routes we take. We beg the authorities to please speed up the work so that we can drive safely and tension-free on this road.”

Sara Khan, another regular daily traveller from Islamabad to Rawalpindi shared her experience, "This is the main highway, I cannot even take the detour at night because I travel alone, but the never-ending construction and the beggars have made it unbearable. It's not just the traffic; it's the constant fear of being harassed for money. Whenever I cross the under-constructed patch I make sure that my doors are locked and windows are up. We demand the authorities to please have mercy on us. Forty minutes commutation time has now become more than an hour's travel and our parents are highly concerned till we reach home safely.

Ahmed Hassan, a banker who commutes daily on this route, remarked, "The authorities need to expedite the construction work on the Islamabad Expressway. “It's become a breeding ground for beggars and extortionists. Commuters like me are suffering daily. Sometimes they bang on the windows, clinging on to the car that is already stuck in the traffic.”

To alleviate the growing problem on the Islamabad Expressway, there is an urgent need for more organised and efficient construction. Though heavy machinery is working on a daily basis still they need to speed up the widening of the highway. Additionally, traffic police should increase their presence along the route to deter beggars and extortionists. Why children are begging on the main highway, one needs to look into the matter as well. Commuters are eagerly awaiting a solution to this ongoing ordeal, as their daily lives continue to be disrupted by the traffic congestion and the presence of these extortionists.