ISLAMABAD :Constructed in the 1990s as country’s one of flagship projects, Pakistan motorway had presented a plausible travelling facility to commuters, nagged by full of hassle travelling on Grand Trunk Road and other arteries leading to different cities from the Federal Capital.
No horns, no screeching and no lanes violations had been the hallmark of Islamabad-Lahore (M-2) and Islamabad-Peshawar (M-1) motorways as the specially raised Police force always stood guard to ensure smooth travelling and penalize the violators.
But, in recent years especially, the policing quality deteriorated with passenger buses, loader vans and privately driven vehicles most often violating speed limits, lane discipline and other violations resulting in lethal accidents like one happened recently in Salt Range claiming lives of around 13 passengers.
If we talk specifically, the Beats at Kala Shah Kaku to Sukheki and from Kallar Kahar to Chakri are the worst regions governed plagued with rampant violations by the passenger buses and mini trucks ferrying milk, animals and broiler chicken from Punjab to Islamabad and beyond.
They have adopted a common habit of continuously using the center lane, over speeding with most of buses running at around 120 and cars the cars, jeeps and other LTVs from the extreme right fast lane.
People have also complained of mini trucks slowly moving in the lanes designated for fast moving vehicles and the ruthless bus drivers blowing horns and flashing lights behind the cars plying in center lane at the specified speed limit of 120.
Although the motorway police has taken certain measures to streamline traffic on motorways, yet the unruly drivers find space for violations endangering theirs and others lives.
“Why strict action is not taken against the violators,” questioned Rashid Mahmood, a frequently traveler of motorways from Islamabad to Lahore and Multan. “I often see vehicles crossing me when I was driving at permissible speed limit of 120 kilometers per hour.”
He noticed that most of these buses show their route details from cities in Punjab to destinations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “Sometimes, they run buses continuously in the center lanes, blowing power horns and lights on high beam irking forerunners. Crossing LTVs from the fastest lane is yet their another hazardous practice.”
Their abrupt lane changing, Rashid states takes aback LTV drivers, seeing a giant bus crossing them wrongly and forcing them to apply sudden brakes.
When a bus driver was questioned about this mindset, he had no valid reason except that it being his habit to run faster than others and reach the destination earlier than the competitors.
Although the violations tendency is rampant among the drivers of less known companies leading to Peshawar and other Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cities, yet those driving buses of commonly deemed as responsible transport companies like Faisal Movers and Daewoo adopt the same course.
“There was a time when these bus drivers could never even think of lanes violation and over speeding,” said another commuter, Javed Chaudhry. “But in recent past, we have astonishingly seen motorway as free for many people.”
He also pointed out that many costly vehicle owners take it as their right to continuously drive in the crossing lane for kilometers without any reason. “May be it is for ridiculing the law or for satisfaction of ego for owning a costly vehicle.”
Chaudhry also complained of the vehicles ferrying poultry birds, milk and animals from Punjab to Islamabad and cities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continuously using middle lane on too slow speed hindering the way of fast moving LTVs.
No doubt that the Motorway Police keeps busy in managing traffic at certain points through patrolling and installing speed limit cameras but these measures feel too short of nabbing the violators.
They have launched a “No More Violations” initiative for strict implementation of traffic rules and a recent appreciative measure of passenger buses movement in flocks led by Police vehicles to maintain speed especially in Salt Range.
“To avoid accidents, we have made the buses to travel through Kallar Kahar region in the form of a convoy,” said DIG (Motorway North Zone) Muhammad Yusuf Malik. “This strategy has been formulated to protect precious lives of passengers and staff of passenger buses.”
Moreover, he stated it has also been decided to issue time cards to buses traveling from Islamabad to Lahore at predetermined safe places on motorway and ensure its strict compliance especially in Salt Range area.
Motorway Police officials believe this effort would allay fears of accidents in Kallar Kahar hilly area as they also informed about functioning of PSV Information Management Center at Toll Plaza Islamabad Entrance Movie Point to compile data of facilities and passengers safety in PSV transport plying on M2.
The NHMP also organizes lectures and workshops for drivers and bus owners at bus terminals, distribute pamphlets and air programs at FM 95 radio channel about passengers safety.
Even acknowledging their efforts for better policing, there are still weak areas like insufficient equipment and deployment that make the commuters violate rules at certain points.
The commuters have suggested to reign in mini truck owners and drivers, issue time cards to passenger buses for the whole route instead of specific points, enhance number of speed cameras and also penalize violators as well as negligent officials.