ISLAMABAD: Though main highways in the twin cities are being made signal free, not a lot of attention is being given to pedestrians and facilitating them in crossing the highways.

There are only four foot bridges on the expressway from Faizabad to Koral Chowk, which are insufficient, especially when the road is being made a signal free corridor up to Rawat and there are a few places on the road where pedestrian crossings are required.

There is no foot bridge on the Islamabad Airport Road, which has recently been made signal free, leaving people no choice but to cross the road in between high speed traffic at risk to their lives.

Two lanes have now also been added to the road, making it more difficult for pedestrians, especially women and the elderly, to cross the 10-lane road. There have been a few accidents on this road.

“A fatal accident happened at Gangal on the expressway during the night some time back when a van hit some people trying to cross the 10-lane road and a few of the pedestrians were killed.

With highways being made signal-free corridors, it is becoming increasingly difficult for pedestrians to cross roads

“People of the surrounding areas and relatives of the victims staged a protest, forcing the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to build a pedestrian bridge at that point,” said a resident of Gouri Town, Chaudhry Arif.

He said the CDA should also have built a similar bridge at the Fazaia Colony near Khanna Pull and one at Koral Mor.

“Crossing the expressway is a difficult task. I see a lot of people having to wait for 15 to 20 minutes before they find a gap between cars and run to the other side of the road.

“There were traffic signals before at Khanna Pull and Koral Chowk which gave pedestrians time to cross the road, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for pedestrians to cross the road now that both the traffic signals have been removed,” says Farrukh Shahzad, a resident of Faisal Colony.

“The government gives a lot of attention to making roads signal free, but is not addressing the woes of pedestrians. There were two signals on Airport Road, one at Gulzar-i-Quaid and the other near Shah Khalid Colony and both have been removed now and two lanes on each side have been added to the road. People have to cross the road, especially those who have to travel on public transport,” says Mohammad Asif, who also lives in Faisal Colony.

He demanded the construction of at least three foot bridges on Airport Road.

According to Ishtiaq Hussein, a resident of Ghouri Town, work on the construction of a foot bridge near Koral Chowk is going on at a slow pace.

He said planners should keep in mind the problems being faced by pedestrians before expanding roads.

CDA Director Roads North Waqas Fareed said once the project of a signal free expressway up to Rawat was complete, the construction of pedestrian bridges where necessary will be considered. He said shortage of funds was a big problem.

A CDA deputy director, Mr Shams said the construction of a pedestrian bridge at the Fazaia bus stop has been planned and a sub-engineer of the Rawalpindi Development Authority, Mr Naeem said a service road will be built from Gulzar-i-Quaid to the airport for public transport.

However, he said, there are no plans for building pedestrian bridges on Airport Road.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2017