NHMP in hot waters over smog pileup

In two separate motorway accidents, caused by poor visibility owing to the thick smog blanket, as many as 16 commuters were critically injured on Friday morning, official sources have confirmed.

The said incidents took place on the M2 Motorway near Faizpur interchange and Lahore-Sialkot Motorway stretches at around 8-9pm when the air quality index (AQI) scored a dismal average of 260 in the provincial capital and adjoining areas. The National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) had reportedly issued a travel advisory at 6:42am warning commuters of intense fog and had even closed down the motorway between Sheikhupura and Lahore for traffic.

An officer of NHMP, on the condition of anonymity, said that it is negligence of motorway police if a vehicle came on the road when such a situation arose with regard to travel safety. “It was their duty to make sure that the commuters leave the motorway from the terminals or stop on rest areas to prevent any tragedy.” It is worth mentioning that the air quality had averaged 238 during the past 72 hours, resulting in an overall decline in visibility levels particularly during the early and late hours of the day.

Reportedly, around eight to nine vehicles rammed into each other due to poor early morning visibility in both the cases. The first case occurred on the LahoreSialkot Motorway near Mehmood Booti toll plaza in which seven persons were severely wounded and shifted to the Shalimar hospital for emergency treatment. The second accident took place on the M2 (Lahore to Islamabad Motorway) near Faizpur interchange, wherein three to four vehicles collided with each other leaving nine people critically injured.

Rescue 1122 officials shifted the wounded to Mayo Hospital for emergency treatment. Similarly a few days back, another deadly accident on Kala Khatai Road near Narang Mandi had claimed the lives of at least 13 persons and had left 37 others injured when two vehicles had a head on collision. Right after the incident, the gas cylinder in the van had exploded resulting in a blaze that charred the lifeless bodies of the victims.

This accident too had resulted because of fog. Speaking to the Express Tribune, a rescue official stated that fewer but deadlier accidents happen during the fog season. He said that due to fog lesser number of vehicles ply the road resulting in lower number of accidents, however, when the accidents take place usually more than three vehicles ram into each other.

While commenting on the accidents, DG Rescue 1122 Rizwan Naseer requested the public to avoid unnecessary travel during foggy weather. He also asked them to drive slow, use fog lights and seat belt if they had to travel on account of an emergency. Official data reveals that road accidents are the leading cause of death in Punjab. On an average, Punjab Emergency Service (PES) Rescue 1122 deals with around 700 to 900 road crashes per day throughout the province.

On Thursday alone, at least 13 people lost their lives in 930 road accidents, whereas 984 were injured in Punjab. Out of these, 222 accidents were reported in Lahore which affected 227 people placing the provincial capital at top of the list. A day earlier, at least six people had died and 912 were wounded 833 road crashes. Rescue 1122 cumulative report for the month of November recorded 363 deaths in road accidents compared to 418 pandemic inflicted deaths reported by authorities.

A huge number (29,679) traffic accidents were the cause behind these tragic deaths. Moreover, rescuers also dealt with 10,302 victims who were injured during these crashes. Citizens complain that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has failed to effectively implement safety measures to reduce the number of road accidents in the province demonstrating its apathy towards its own citizens.