DASKA: The slow pace of construction and dualisation of 46 km long Daska-Sialkot-Gujranwala road and unchecked reckless driving by the public transport vehicles on this road has resulted into road accidents.
Owing to the Daska traffic police’s failure to control the traffic flow and the never ending construction of the said road, as many as 20 people died in the last two weeks. According to police officials, over 96 people died in road accidents and 267 were seriously injured during the last six months in the Sialkot.
Traffic police officials said as many as 35 accidents occurred on average on the road every month and proved fatal. Two years ago, traffic control of this road was handed over to the highway patrolling police, which replaced the traffic police on duty. Now, the highway patrolling police is responsible for issuing tickets.
The road currently is a narrow one and many people met accidents while making their way through dangerous turns under construction. Commuters have complained many a times of this nuisance as commuting on this road has not only become risky but has also resulted in increased commuting time; it has doubled.
Thousands of the factory workers from Daska reached late to their factories in Sialkot because of the roads’ dilapidated condition. Moreover, construction material lying on the road also causes damage to motor vehicles’ tyres and other parts.
Locals have said that the road is made more dangerous because the traffic flow remains consistently high during all times of the day. “There are no particular rush hours; every hour is a rush hour and the road teems with buses, wagons, rickshaws, tongas and cars,” said Fazal Hussain, a Daska resident.
