Lack of public transport contributes to smog

Experts, officials pin hopes on mass transit system

FAISALABAD:

Unbridled population growth, rural to urban mass influx and rising number of vehicles are among reasons cited by environmental experts of smog engulfing major cities at the onset of every winter.

Faisalabad, the third largest city of the country with a population of over four mil-lion, is also a victim of the phenomenon with thousands of smoke emitting vehicles plying on its roads, creating health and travel issues. Pollution caused by loaders, busses, cars, bikes and rickshaws, with many using sub-standard fuel, as well as brick kilns and industrial units releasing smoke, liquid and solid waste cu-mulatively endanger the lives of the people.

As experts suggest solutions like strict action against environment polluting vehicles and industrial units, they also advocate a holistic traffic and mass transit system to rid people of the nuisance of substandard transport.

The existing urban transport system was launched in 1994 on 20 routes as a cheap and affordable service to benefit almost 1.7 million Faisalabad residents. But in the absence of proper follow up this system deteriorated with the population growing to four million. The gap occurring due to insufficiency of urban transport was filled by motorcycle rickshaws that not only spoiled the traffic system but also environment.

Similarly, a government project of big buses launched in 1999 on major city roads also faded away, once again shifting the passenger load to private small wagons and rickshaws. Now the Punjab government is planning another mass transit system to address the traffic and pollution issues in the city.

"Metro bus service would be a mega, affordable and comfortable intracity transport facility for the residents," said Faisalabad Development Authority MD Chaudhry Muhammad Asif.

According to a local administration spokesman, the initial eight routes identified for the buses are from Gattwala Bridge to Bholay Di Jhuggi, Rehmatabad to Montgomery Bazaar, Gattwala Bridge to Canal Station, Faisal Town to Rajbah Road, Montgomery Bazaar to Sadhar Bypass, Rail Bazaar to Chak Jhumra and Satiana Bypass to Rajbah Road.