Kahuta Road in shambles

ISLAMABAD:

A one kilometre stretch of the Kahuta Road near Sihala Police Station is on the verge of collapsing completely due to negligence of the departments concerned as dozens of potholes have turned into wide and deep ponds, making it difficult for commuters to navigate through.

The Kahuta Road is of great strategic significance as it connects the Grand Trunk Road to the Islamabad Expressway, linking Azad Jammu and Kashmir with other parts of the country. “The shaky movement of the long and heavily-loaded vehicles carrying factory goods on the bumpy road poses a great threat to commuters,” a nearby resident of Model Town said.

Previously, the Punjab government had reconstructed the six-kilometre section from Kak Bridge to Soan Camp by allocating special funds. However, the residents lament that the administration has turned a blind eye towards its maintenance. Since then, no repair work has been carried out despite repeated requests of the residents of Model Town Humak and adjoining localities, who feared that dilapidated condition of the road could lead to fatal accident any time.Due to the road condition, all vehicles are driven in zigzags to avoid pool-like potholes especially near the Kak Bridge, Sihala Police Station, Model Town Humak and the underpass connecting the Grand Trunk (GT) Road.

The artery is of great strategic significance as its one end touches the GT Road and the other Islamabad Expressway, linking Azad Jammu and Kashmir with other parts of the country.On one side of the busy road is the Kahuta Industrial Triangle Zone and on the other is residential area consisting of schools and colleges.

The frightening situation could be imagined when heavily loaded oil tankers and gigantic long vehicles ply on the single-road day and night for the transportation of factory goods in crisscross to avoid deep and wider potholes.

"The shaky movement of long and heavily loaded vehicles, carrying factory goods, on the bumpy single-road poses a great threat to commuters," Ali Raza, a resident of Model Town, said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2020.