SWAT: The residents of Mingora have demanded of the authorities to resolve traffic problems in the area.

Speaking at an emergency meeting here on Wednesday, they said that increase in number of vehicles multiplied troubles of locals as well as tourists.

They said that the roads, built during the former Swat state, were insufficient for such a large number of vehicles. They added that the roads were not expanded after 1969 in line with the growing population and vehicles.

“Swat has become a hub of illegal vehicles. Non-custom paid and cut vehicles are coming from other parts of the country to Swat. All the two-stroke rickshaws, which are banned in the rest of the country, have been brought to Swat,” said Zahid Khan, a resident of Mingora.

He said that the two-stroke rickshaws not only congested the roads but also polluted the entire Swat. He said that of more than 30,000 auto rickshaws in Swat, only 5,000 were legal.

They said that a distance of one kilometre was covered in one hour owing to congestion of traffic on roads in Mingora. “About 10 years ago, we would cover the three-kilometre distance to Saidu Sharif Teaching Hospital in 10 minutes but now it takes about two hours to reach the hospital,” said Sardar Ali, a resident of Hayatabad in Mingora.

According to Swat police, the total length of roads in Mingora city is 27.7 kilometres including 17 kilometres main roads and 11.5 kilometres link roads.

“Traffic police conducted a survey according to which about 58,000 vehicles enter Mingora from Monday and 65,000 vehicles leave it,” said ASP Shah Hassan Khan. He said that there were 13 parking lots in the city with a maximum capacity of 2,000 vehicles.

“There are 33 bus stands in the city,” he said, adding for such a huge traffic flow there were only 500 traffic police in Mingora.

The local residents demanded of the government to devise a proper plan to resolve traffic problems in the area. They also demanded ban on non-custom paid, cut and illegal vehicles in Swat.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2021