Pot-holes and broken roads

Letter January 06, 2017
I would like to call upon the authorities concerned to please take the necessary action in this regard

KARACHI: Having recently dealt with a severely damaged pair of tires due to the absolutely horrendous road conditions, I want to highlight the problems caused by the battered roads in Karachi. It is a known fact that the people of Karachi pay a huge amount of vehicles tax and it is fundamental right of the citizens to have better roads for their vehicles. The transport system is under duress due to the poor conditions of roads, while driver errors such as speeding, distracted driving and drunk driving are among the leading causes of automobile accidents, dangerous road conditions are also a significant contributor. Dangerous road conditions may be the result of natural events, such as rains and flooding, that make driving unsafe. Dangerous conditions can also arise from the poor physical condition of a road and its surroundings.

The government has a duty to design, build and maintain safe roads. If an accident occurs because of a hazardous road condition, the government agency responsible for maintaining the road should be held accountable.

The lack of a proper drainage system is also responsible for the damage. It should not come as a surprise to find that a poor drainage system results in water flooding roads and that in turn results in damaging them especially the road from Malir 15 to Quaidabad. The reason behind this seems to be the damaged sewerage lines that run parallel to this road. The present situation has become painful and distressing for the citizens who need to use these roads to commute from one place to another. The bad conditions of the road cause a lot of inconvenience to the people, causing traffic jams during the peak office hours and frequent accidents. The piles of garbage and rubbish can be seen everywhere on the roads. The stinking smell from the festering garbage and overflowing gutters and the hordes of flies and mosquitoes accompanying them have become unbearable in some places. This bad system is generating many fatal diseases also. I would like to call upon the authorities concerned to please take the necessary action in this regard.

Yasir Qamar 

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2017.

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