Construction work on BRT proving a nightmare for motorists, commuters

PESHAWAR: The construction work on the much-trumpeted Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project in the provincial capital is proving to be a nightmare for motorists and commuters as the plan to keep traffic streamlined is falling apart and leading to nerve-racking vehicular mess on various city roads.

The provincial government had made tall claims of having chalked out a comprehensive plan to regulate traffic after the launch of the BRT Project on October 19, last year.

It had claimed that the traffic police had finalised arrangements to facilitate the commuters by ensuring smooth flow of traffic from Chamkani to Hayatabad through alternative routes, but all claims are falling apart.

It usually took motorists 10-15 minutes to reach Saddar from Peshawar Central Prison on any normal day, but it has become hard for one to cover this distance in even an hour, thanks to administrative mismanagement.

The traffic mess has become a routine even after passage of three months after the launch of work on the project.

The motorists and commuters continued to witness the worst traffic jam on third consecutive day on Thursday on Sher Shah Suri and Sunehri Masjid roads because of the ongoing work on the BRT.

The vehicles were plying bumper-to-bumper on these two roads in Cantonment limits as most other roads have been closed for traffic for security reasons. The traffic mess had become routine on the Sher Shah Suri Road starting from the Sessions Courts Peshawar and Central Prison and ending at the chowk near the Frontier Constabulary (FC) headquarters and Deans Shopping Mall after most of the roads passing through Saddar were closed due to security reasons. However, the situation has worsened after the launch of work on BRT.

The situation is not any better on the Sunehri Masjid Road that starts from the FC Chowk and ends at the Stadium Chowk. The traffic flow has been affected adversely on this road as part of the road has been closed where heavy machines are at work.

The traffic approaching from the city is diverted to Saddar Road from the square next to the Rescue 1122 Headquarters. The portion of the road from this chowk to the square near the State Bank of Pakistan sees traffic muddle as well.

The traffic wardens are deputed at almost all the chowks but they are helpless against the growing number of vehicles.

The Railways Road from Shoba Chowk to the square near Edwardes College School has already been shut completely to traffic.

The motorists take a turn from Shah Qabool Auliya Chowk to Dabgari Gardens and have to cross the Ramdas and Koh-e-Daman (Chungi) chowks to reach Saddar.

The traffic clogging here is creating a lot of problems as Dabgari Garden has a number of private healthcare facilities and is frequented by hundreds of patients and their attendants.

Most of the roads in the Cantonment which were closed in the past have led to severe traffic mess.

The Sher Shah Suri and Sunehri Masjid roads bear the brunt as these roads are used by the public transport as well as other motorists. The public transport is barred from the Khyber Road in the Peshawar Cantonment.

The situation of traffic flow is not any better in the old city areas where the work is in progress on the BRT Project. The main GT Road has been dug up at various points and this is affecting the traffic flow. The situation can be improved if one side of the Supply Depot Road is opened to traffic.

The Supply Depot Road starts from GT Road and leads to Dilazak Road. There are two roads on both sides of the Kabul River Canal. One side is closed to traffic while the other always remains overburdened. The road can be opened to traffic by simply erecting a railway crossing there.

The removal of make-shift encroachments from Khushal Bazaar in Hashtnagri will definitely ease the traffic on the GT Road and motorists would easily reach the Dilazak Road after crossing the Hashtnagri Railway crossing.

The Abdul Jalil Kababi Road at Jinnah Park that leads to Bacha Khan Chowk is another passage that needs to be cleared of encroachments to ease traffic rush on the GT Road.