Islamabad - The IJ Principal Road, one of the busiest roads in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, is in dilapidated condition and needs urgent maintenance or reconstruction to ensure smooth traffic flow.
Though the department concerned started some maintenance work last week, yet it was left half done and still numerous extremely dangerous potholes remains to be filled on major segment of this important road.
The road was originally built to run light traffic with a speed up to 80 km per hour. But ever since heavy traffic including fully loaded trailers, and trucks were allowed to ply on this road, craters have rapidly emerged and the traffic now moves at a snail pace causing unnecessary delays. “Those who dare to drive fast on the craters ridden road have to move zig zag, and endanger not only their own lives but also of pedestrians,” Shoib Ahmed, a motorist told this agency here on Sunday. The ambulance drivers and patients are the worst sufferers on this damaged road. “I lost my motorcycle and room keys, after my motorcycle bumped in a big pothole,” complained Arshad Khan, a motorcycle rider. “I had to face great difficulties in making the new keys,” he added. “Every other day a truck is seen parked in the middle of the road with a broken suspension, caused by the bumpy road,” Farid Khan, a commuter said.
“The Capital Development Authority (CDA) should immediately launch repair work by filling the potholes and install road signs which are missing all over this long road,” Shamim Akhtar, a woman driver suggests. According to a traffic police official some 200,000 vehicles daily use the IJP Road, which also separates the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
The heavy traffic flow from Pirwadhai, 9th Avenue, Double Road, Pindora Chungi, New Katarian, Dhok Hassu, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, and Faizabad enter the IJ Principal Road, creating traffic jams especially during the peak hours.
Many bus and van terminals are also located on this road, stretching from GT Road to Faizabad, which means heavy traffic plies round-the-clock.
Ejaz Ahmad, another motorist, suggested that IJP Road should be widened and some underpasses be built to accommodate the ever increasing number of private and public service vehicles.
People have also demanded the CDA to beautify the neglected IJ Principal Road by planting shrubs and demolishing ever increasing encroachments on either side of the road.