Pedestrians suffer on Rawalpindi roads

In some areas of Rawalpindi, there are no footpaths at all. In some areas, they are on one side of the road and in some on both sides of the road. And wherever they exist do not provide a safe space to walk, and make pedestrians feel uncomfortable as they are obstructed by sign posts, bus stands, mail boxes, news-stands, potholes, parked bikes, low tree branches/bushes etc.
“Pavements are not continuous and there are gaps in them. They are also not wide enough to comfortably accommodate at least two adults walking side by side, and are not clear of obstructions i.e. overgrowth, parked vehicles, and garbage containers,” says Asghar Ali, a builder from Iqbal Road.
“They are not well maintained and free of cracks or lifted sections that could become tripping hazards and barriers to vulnerable people like old guys and small kids. Instead of enhancing the appearance of the area, broken pavements disfigure its face,” adds Asghar.
“On Tench Bhata Road, Cantonment Hospital Road there is no division between motor vehicles and pedestrians, therefore pedestrian collisions with motor vehicles is most likely. In residential and mixed residential areas, there is more possibility of occurrence of pedestrian crashes,” says Saulat Reza, a civil engineer.
“Who is there to supervise things in the city? The administrative lacuna is quite prominent on many points of the city. Pedestrians suffer everyday on the roads, in the streets. Saidpur Road is one theatre in this drama and the indifference of the city's fathers to the sufferers is becoming intolerable,” says Wahid Hussain, an area resident.
“Yes, the men, the women, who are on the roads for occupational reasons, the school-going boys and girls, kids at play, the crowd that cross the road, the swarm that walk on pavements or non-pavements,- all of them are vulnerable indeed. I agree with Ahad, my friend,” says Faraz Ali.
Fazal Hasan from Tali Mori says: “The city fathers continue to ignore: encroachments on pavements by hawkers and shopkeepers, advertisement billboards, departments putting up electric transformers and telephone pillars, bridges that don't have pedestrian pathways, parking on walkways, storm water and sewerage drains with gaping holes. The hurdles are endless.”
“Auto workshops have encroached on the Kali Tanki Road near National Market and shopkeepers have occupied whatever footpaths there are on Saidpur Road. Whatever the locality, whether it is the lanes inside Commercial Market, Satellite Town, Murree Road, Saddar, the problems are no different. It is an all too familiar set of reasons. Perhaps, the concerned department officials think that pavements are not really necessary, because people don't use them,” says Tasaddak Hussain, a senior citizen from Khurram Colony.
Colonel (r) Naeem says, “The authorities should do some hard thinking, listening to what people say: zebra crossings signals are timed for vehicular and not pedestrian speeds. Pedestrians are expected to climb steep stairways on foot over bridges to cross small stretches of road near Fauji Foundation Hospital. This hills and valleys scenario is a wonderful piece of work. I want to meet the brilliant designer.”
“Footpaths have not been factored into planning in my area,” says Tahira Batool, owner of a garment shop. “I can’t walk from my house in Chaklala Scheme III to Commercial Market as there is no pavement on either side of Imran Avenue.”
“Existing sidewalks are affected when road improvements are done. There is an urgent need to improve pedestrian facilities and to ensure that city roads are provided with adequate pavements,” adds Tahira.