Traffic problems have emerged as one of the major issues in most of the developed and populated cities of Pakistan like Lahore, a city that is accommodating a huge population- not only the indigenous but also the immigrants from the far-flung rural areas of the country who storm this city in search of better living amenities and brighter future prospects. Being one of the most important human needs, almost every person owns some means and modes of personal conveyance.
Those who can afford, own more than one also. Though these means of transport have brought significant convenience to the lives of people, they have also given rise to serious and grave traffic issues in the city. However, one needs to dig deeper to the actual reasons and factors leading to prevalent and existing disarrayed and haphazard traffic in the city.
Read more: Trackers installed in buses to reduce traffic violations in Balochistan
Understanding the matter better
The main problem lies with the conservative mindset prevalent amongst the people that urges them to use personal conveyance instead of public transport. The culture of using public transport is almost non-existent owing to the superiority complex in the middle and upper strata of society that discourages them to opt for public transport. Using personal conveyance is reckoned to be a status symbol while using public conveyance is considered be a lower and less desirable option.
The more a person is financially well off, the more luxurious conveyance he will own to showcase his financial strength and superiority. Resultantly, the number of vehicles has increased to such an extent that the roads seem completely unable to accommodate this ever-increasing and unruly flux. The congested roads surrounded by encroachments further exacerbate the already chaotic situation. The roads were made decades ago and frequent efforts are made to widen and expand them to ensure smooth and uninterrupted traffic flow. However, the illegal parking and encroachments make this broadening of roads useless and inefficacious. The practice of parking vehicles by the roadside owing to the lack and absence of proper parking places also causes traffic to get stuck and jammed.
The careless and callous driving also serves as a major reason and factor
Showing an entire and utter indifference to and non-observance of traffic rules and violating signals and one-way lanes is a common practice. The traffic wardens, responsible for ensuring a smooth flow of traffic, are seen either absent from their duty points or engaged and engrossed in mobile surfing or chitchat with their fellow on-duty wardens. So, this lack of civic sense and responsibility amongst the masses, and on the part of traffic wardens too, is serving as a major factor behind grave traffic issues getting more serious and sever in Lahore with every passing day.
But the question does persist as to how these grave traffic issues in the city can be resolved and which important steps can be taken in this regard. First of all, there is a dire need to promote and disseminate civic awareness amongst the masses and make them aware of the importance of observance and compliance with traffic rules. Those who violate traffic rules must be brought to book and imposed hefty fines so as to prevent them from venturing to violate them ever again. Likewise, efficacious steps must be taken by the government to encourage people use public transport.
Read more: Islamabad changes school timings to prevent traffic congestion
But in order to make it happen, the government must ensure the provision and availability of comfortable and convenient means and modes of transport to the public, and that too, atvery affordable and reasonable fairs. The public transport services like Metro Bus and Orange Train must be expanded. Likewise, strict action must be taken against the traffic wardens found guilty of neglecting their duties. Parking plazas must be constructed and proper parking places must be allocated at appropriate points including busy public spots like shopping malls and markets along with taking strict action against the encroachments to ensure the smooth and uninterrupted flow of traffic.
The way forward
It is also observed that the traffic issues normally exacerbate during the specific busy hours including morning when students go to their schools and people make their way to the offices and in the evening when it is time for all of them to return to their homes. Traffic normally gets stuck to such an extent that the distance that can normally and easily be covered in ten minutes takes half an hour or even more than that. So, the number of traffic wardens must be increased during these busy slots and traffic monitoring must be made strictly in order to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.
Though there have been myriad bridges, underpasses and flyovers constructed over the past few years considering the roaring traffic issues. However, there is a dire and visible need of constructing more underpasses and flyovers that can help mitigate the unabated traffic issues. Likewise, efforts have been made for signal-free roads as well but more roads also need to be made signal free in order to cope with this issue. Heavy traffic running on roads during day time can also be reckoned as a main and major issue that not only causes the traffic to get stuck and jammed but poses serious threat and danger to others’ lives too.
Read more: LHC imposes huge fine on one-way traffic violators!
Stringent action must be taken against heavy traffic running on roads during the daytime so that the normal traffic flow does not get hampered and hindered and the safety of the lives of people on roads can be ensured. So, we must realize and understand, once and for all, that an all-inclusive effort is the need of the hour to grapple and bridle the grave and roaring traffic issues prevalent and existing in the city of Lahore. The sooner it is done, the better it is for the city of Lahore and its inhabitants. Any callousness and nonchalance on this grave issue will lead it to a point beyond repair. It is hoped that this issue grabs the attention of all the concerned and relevant authorities and stakeholders.
The writer is an author of the soon-to-be-published book ‘Reclaim Your Life. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.