Deep craters. Even deeper potholes. Cracks. Traffic jams and snarls. The nine-kilometre track of the Islamabad Expressway from T-Chowk near DHA Phase II till Gulberg Greens Interchange has become a commuter’s worst nightmare. While driving on this worn and broken road has become extremely cumbersome, the authorities are looking the other way. It is despite the fact this particular patch of the Islamabad Expressway has one of the heaviest traffic loads and a large number of people from DHA II, Bahria Town, PWD, Soan Gardens and several other new housing societies use it. A few months ago, the traffic signal near Soan Gardens was widened. But it was not properly carpeted. The result is an even more broken road and a dust storm kicked off by the vehicles.
The Capital Development Authority is least bothered to repair the heavily damaged portion of the Islamabad Expressway. The lawmakers and officials are busy posting self-praising messages on Twitter. Meanwhile, commuters are suffering terribly on a daily basis. The debilitated road condition is not only causing financial losses in lieu of constant vehicle repairs but also mental agony to the taxpayers.
Intizar Hussain, Islamabad.
