A Bridge Too Far

Ishtiaq Ahmed

Gujar Khan: This is a commendable and much-needed safety measure to improve public road safety, but, as always with things in Pakistan, not without a major problem.

While traveling recently through Missa Kaswal en route to Gujar Khan, I observed a similar issue. A newly constructed pedestrian bridge caught my attention, positioned over a bustling intersection along the Grand Trunk (GT) Road. This bridge facilitates access to the main shopping area on the opposite side.

The steps to the pedestrian bridge/flyover are so steep that it would be virtually impossible for the elderly, infirm, physically disabled, and those with heart or respiratory problems to access this facility. They would have no option other than to take the risk of crossing the busy GT road because the stairwell is simply not tenable. I stood and wondered for whom the bridge was actually built—certainly not for those who needed it most.

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Similar types of bridges built in Gujar Khan city have fallen into disuse and become nests for drug users, beggars, and the homeless, making them unsafe, particularly for the elderly, women, and children.

One should not doubt the motivation of the relevant authorities to improve public road safety, but the implementation lacks due consideration, empathy, and proper planning for those who need such facilities the most. This is another classic example of the ineptness and lacklustre approach of the authorities, resulting in millions being wasted without reaping the intended benefits for the public.

The authorities could have considered a number of other options that may have been cheaper to implement with greater benefits for the public, for example, traffic lights combined with pelican crossings of some sort. However, such measures are often undermined by a lack of respect for traffic rules by the drivers and the public in equal measure.

Lack of awareness, compliance, and enforcement make road safety very difficult in Pakistan. There is an insidious culture of flouting traffic rules. This is not helped by the lacklustre approach to enforcement, which is often found to be lacking in authority, consistency, and corruption.

The article is the writer’s opinion, it may or may not adhere to the organization’s editorial policy.

Photo Credit: Ishtiaq Ahmed