Potholed IJP Road puts motorists in a jam

Slow moving traffic increases travel time; dust causing breathing problems

RAWALPINDI:

There is no end to the woes of commuters who have to travel the length of Inter-Junction Principal Road (IJP Road) at confluence of the twin cities due to ruts, dust and long traffic snarls.

Travelling on the IJ Principal Road, which connects twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to Peshawar and Lahore from Faizabad, has become a nightmare for the commuters due to its dilapidated condition.

The civic authorities concerned were not paying any attention towards the repairs of the road which has huge potholes disrupting the flow of traffic, causing accidents and increasing travelling time from minutes to hours. Moreover, the dust hanging in the air due to the broken road was causing respiratory and skin diseases, commuters said.

The locals told The Express Tribune during a survey that condition of the busiest traffic junction at the confluence of the federal capital and the garrison city for a long time was a clear indication of the alleged negligence of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the agencies concerned. Citizens have demanded the federal government to repair the road immediately.

The busiest IJP Road connecting Rawalpindi and Islamabad with GT Road Peshawar and Lahore is used for transportation to and from Rawalpindi's wholesale markets and the Islamabad Vegetable Market.

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The road has been in a state of disrepair for a long time. Accidents involving small vehicles, including freight cars, are common on the road. Due to the dilapidated condition of the road, the journey time of heavy and light vehicles has changed from minutes to hours.

Affected by the dilapidated condition of the road, a working woman said that she uses to public transport to go to work, but due to the dilapidated condition of the road, instead of 20 minutes, it takes her one-and-a-half hour which causes physical and mental stress.

Similarly, an Islamabad traffic police officer, who was busy trying to keep the traffic flow on the highway in a severe traffic jam, said that the IJP Road was the only road through which freight trucks from all over the Pakistan reach to markets of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

He said that several reports have been sent to Capital Development Authority (CDA) regarding decrepit condition of the thoroughfare and accidents which take place on daily basis but no attention has been paid so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2020.