To the utter inconvenience and discomfort of the commuters, traders and residents of Ferozepur Road, construction work on Muslim Town Flyover has started on Jamia Ashrafia side of the road. Traffic is expected to pass through an extremely narrow way that is creating massive jams and delays for the commuters and the traders who have their shops along the road have been deprived of their parking lots to make space for the heavy machinery. Muslim Town Mor is considered to be one of the most important arteries of the city where Canal and Ferozpur Road meet. These roads are always busy because the area is home to commercial, educational and residential buildings.
Traders and commuters complain that they were not informed about the execution of the plan and sudden start of construction on Jamia Ashrafia’s side is turning out to be a nuisance for them.
Muslim Town Flyover that would arch over the Canal and Muslim Town Mor to reach WAPDA Hospital would be the longest flyover in the city and would be in the shape of a giant S. Hundreds of hardware, medicine, paint, battery, carpet and curtain shops located around the Muslim Town Flyover are running successful businesses. Traders fear that the construction could have cosmic consequences since they would lose customer loyalty in four months because of a lack of parking space. “My business is going down day by day because of the construction,” a tile shop owner at Ferozpur Road, Yousuf told Pakistan Today.
“Traders were never involved in any decision making and unfortunately we are the ones who are going to suffer the most,” he said, adding “hundred of shopkeepers are worried about what would happen to their businesses by the time the flyover is completed.”
He said the procedure could have been made shopkeeper-friendly by involving them in the discussions.
Citizens and traders around the Muslim Town Mor have also complained of long electricity outages due to the construction, saying that they were not being informed of the power outages that left them without electricity and water for a long time.
On the other hand, Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Ahmad Mubeen rejected that there were any traffic jams but accepted that the traffic has been slow due to the ongoing work. CTO said 100 traffic wardens had been deputed around the flyover and adjoining roads to facilitate the public. “Parking is the problem of the customers and the shopkeepers, not ours,” he said. Citizens also said the Canal Bank Road widening was also being done along with the construction of the flyover and that was aggravating the traffic situation. A routine commuter of Muslim Town Mor, Umer said the Kalma Chowk Flyover was better managed but the case was different this time.
Traders also hoped that the flyover would improve the traffic flow along with their businesses.
A photocopy shop owner, Sadiq said that the feasibility report about the flyover was made but no planning was done to address the miseries of businessmen. He hoped the situation would improve if somebody from the quarters concerned addresses their worries.
The Plight of the laborers working at this project is also very deplorable .They are not provided with safety helmets, Goggles, gloves, foot covers or special working costumes. Hope Pakistan Today will cover this as well.
Pakistanis will never be happy. We Pakistanis behave like unruly and uncivilized people and yet expect to be treated like a royalty.
dear sabir
u should come to our place then we will ask we are shopekeeper when we sit alone waiting the client whole day and at the end went with empty pocket to the home is very anxious time for us.dear sabir its very easy to express but u should also smell the situation here most of the shopkeepers are only dependant are thier family alone
yousaf masood
SO you want government to provide you customers as well???
Brother that's simply bad luck not the fault of the Government…….
we should happy and thx to ALLAH that Mian M.shahbaz sharif doing great effort to control trafic .
yes… we must thank to traffic wardens that they are doing best to manage the traffic as far safety is concerned, Govt pay for everything but….. its not Mian Sahab duty to go market and buy he is doing good as much he can.
well, you are right
Salam to all,
I read some comments on that flyover, i spend almost my whole life in Lahore, and thats my favorite city of Pakistan, Actually every type of construction is the betterment of peoples, but we are very passionate for every way of life and have a -ve attitude i dont know why,we do not think about the future, do not think about Pakistan just think about that whats going on now, if we become loyal and think +vely and see everything with +ve eye view then we will feel better. Say thanks to Mr. Shehbaz Sharif, just think if he do not do these things what we can do just pray for him he is trying to preform his duties. ok thanks
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