Adil Nazeer Hassani
Quetta: The main problem of Quetta is decrepit roads and poor infrastructure, which is literally resulting in serious traffic congestion. Quetta doesn’t seem to get enough flyovers, roads and underpasses, as compared to rate of rising population. There is mismanagement in traffic system of Quetta. Traffic congestion has negative effects on Quetta’s citizens which results in late arrival of people at their jobs, meetings, education and waste of fuel and increase in air pollution.
Mr. Nazeer Ahmed an employee of PTCL Quetta told Balochistan Voices that the traffic jams caused hardships for employees, passengers, patients and students. “One day I got late to attend one of the essential meeting due to traffic jam,” He said. Majority roads of the city are blocked due to traffic jams which disturb hundreds of employees. He said it often takes him two hours to reach office from his home, which is barely at a distance of three kilometers.
Mr. Mohammad Ali a local bus driver in Quetta said that there was a time when Quetta was called “Little Paris” due to its cleanliness and scenic beauty. Today, due to gross mismanagement and Afghan refugees Quetta is one of the most polluted cities of Pakistan.
When Sariab road flyover completed, which is one Kilometer long and has four ramps which are link Sariab road, Zarghoon road, joint road and Arbab Karam khan road, Local bus drivers of Quetta were happy that they will get rid of constant traffic jams. However this is not the case now and traffic overloads increasing day by day in Quetta. Local bus drivers are fully fed up due to traffic congestions because each and every minute of their journey is counted.
Mr. Murad Lehri, a resident of Quetta, told Balochistan Voices that traffic congestion is due to careless attitude of traffic police who is not willing to control congestion. On other hand people also want to reach the place very quickly and in hurry and they also create traffic problems, said Mr. Lehri. In Quetta many vehicles can be seen trapped in Traffic jams for countless hours in areas of Sariab road, Joint road, Spini road, Zarghoon road, Hali road, Jinnah road, Prince Road, Pishin stop and Samungli road.
Mr. Lehri further added that there is no specific system of traffic in the city and not a single traffic signal is functional in the entire city. The existing network of roads in Quetta can’t accommodate the increasing load of vehicles. It would be a difficult task for common residents of Quetta to drive even a few kilometers on the roads of Quetta. Construction of commercial plazas and hospitals in busy areas are increasing traffic mess.
Need of the hour is to develop a traffic management plan in Quetta on emergency basis and find solutions for all the traffic problems of Quetta city on war footings.
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