No instant remedy to check traffic mess

Islamabad: Frequent traffic congestion on major arteries of the federal capital may continue to test the nerves of daily commuters as the practical steps taken by the authorities concerned appeared to be insufficient to ease the situation.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) are two major stakeholders supposed to play a vital role in providing smooth and safe travel to road-users but unfortunately it seemed that both of them are lacking coordination.

The hot-spots of Islamabad where the traffic clogged for several hours daily included Islamabad Expressway, Kashmir Highway, Kahuta Road falling in rural area of the capital, Islamabad Club Road and Park Road.

The CDA had worked out several plans to ensure smooth traffic on capital roads by providing ring roads, bridges, underpasses and overpasses in last two years but not even a single one could be materialized due to financial constraints and bureaucratic hiccups.

The Future Planned Projects placed on the list of development schemes for the city in January 2017 included overpasses on Nazim-ud-Din Road and Fazal-e-Haq Road over Faisal Avenue (700m); underpass at the Shakarparian Intersection on Islamabad Highway; interchange at intersection of 9th Avenue and Jinnah Avenue; interchange at IJP Road and 9th Avenue; interchange at Peshawar Morr on Kashmir Highway; interchange on Kashmir highway/7th Avenue link; and interchange at Koral Chowk on Islamabad Express way.

However, the ITP is undoubtedly managing over 900,000 registered vehicles of Islamabad with its 628 officials, half of them deputed for VIP movements, requires a muscle boost regarding reinforcement of the traffic police. Talking to APP, the CDA sources admitted that the major development projects in the federal capital only remained on papers and could not see the light of day due to paucity of funds.

The ITP top official said there was a dire need to build the Ring Road on Islamabad expressway and urged the department concerned to widen the roads, terming the ill-planned road infrastructure a major reason behind road accidents.