- CDA likely to install more overhead bridges
The country’s sole planned city, Islamabad, is missing pedestrian bridges at several key roads and chowks which leave people with no option but risk their lives and cross the roads from elsewhere which leads to accidents, it has been learnt.
The civic management has constructed not a single pedestrian bridge at Jinnah Avenue, the busiest road of capital, from blue area to F-10 [Missile Chowk].
In order to cross the road, most of the people were seen risking their lives by jumping over the barriers erected around metro bus route at Jinnah Avenue which may lead to an untoward incident in future.
“I am working at a mobile shop in the blue area, and I have seen people use inappropriate language and honk impatiently at pedestrians who try to cross the road.
Sitting in the safety of their cars, these people don’t realise that there is no alternative way of crossing the road for us pedestrians.
Don’t they wonder what compelled us to cross the road in such a risky way,” asked Muhammad Ali, a resident of the city.
He further elaborated, “Yes! There is a way to cross the road and reach the destination across roads via Metro Bus tunnel at stops, but these take 20-25 minutes.
And this too only at Jinnah Avenue, what about Kashmir Highway, Ibn e Sina Road, Service Road east, west, Nizamuddin Road, Park Road, Johar Road, Kohistan Road, Kaghan Road and dozens of others,” he questioned.
Hamid Khan said that the authority has constructed pedestrian bridges at various sites but people don’t use them and unnecessarily risk their lives.
“The Capital Development Authority (CDA) should start a campaign to aware people regarding the importance of pedestrian bridges,” Hamid suggested.
Imran Ali, a resident of Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Rawalpindi, explained that he is a student of matric and have to cross IJ Principal Road four times a day as he is enrolled at a private tuition centre there.
“There are only two pedestrian bridges, one near Bangish Colony, and the other near Sabzi Mandi, why the authority has not constructed it near CDA Chowk,” he asked.
Likewise, a resident of Bahra Kahu, Mumtaz Ahmed Abbasi said that there is no pedestrian bridge at the Murree Road due to which people are crossing roads on their own risks.
When contacted Capital Development Authority Spokesperson Mazhar Hussain, he said that the authority constructs pedestrian bridges where it is required.
“There are dozens of pedestrian bridges on the busiest roads like at 7th Avenue, 9 Avenue, IJP Road, Express Highway and others,” he said, adding that the metro stations are constructed after every kilometre, a way for pedestrians.
He said that the city planners have been planning to install some new pedestrian bridges at various points.
