Lahore’s road network suffers neglect
In the aftermath of nearly every rain season, roads in the provincial capital suffer considerable damage. Even though patchwork is underway on these highways to alleviate the inconvenience of commuters and facilitate their smooth travel, the recurrent nature of this yearly problem demands greater attention.
Although government agencies have allocated a substantial budget of over Rs100 billion for the repair of roads on the orders of Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz, the low-quality of the repair work has persistently downgraded the overall condition of the road network, which remains out-of-order for extended periods of time thereby troubling commuters travelling through cars and motorcycles.
Muhammad Amir, a 50-year-old banker, shared his frustrating experience of commuting to the Gulberg area from near Jati Umra. “Although roads surrounding the Jati Umra have been repaired, those near Raiwind, Johar Town, Main Boulevard Gulberg Road, Canal, and Manawan continue to remain dilapidated. Departmental officials frequently shift the blame onto one another instead of addressing the issue,” claimed Amir.
According to sources of the Express Tribune, 89 roads have been identified by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) for repair including the Gulberg Road, Hali Road, Ghalib Road, Ali Zaib Road, College Road, Gurumangat Road, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Noor Jehan Road, Rana Shaukat Road, Maulana Shaukat Ali Road, Kacha Jail Road, Defence Road, Johar Town Main Boulevard, PIA Main Boulevard, Mall Road, Barki Road, Shah Jamal Road, Sham Nagar, Main Boulevard Sabzazar, Davis Road, Kashmir Road, Egerton Road, Circular Road, Shalimar Road, Bhogiwal Road, China Road in Gujjarpura, Wahdat Road, Mustafa Town, and Main Boulevard Allama Iqbal Road.
Muhammad Waqas, Lahore's former town planner, affirmed that the poor condition of roads in the city had created a host of problems for commuters. “Broken roads can lead to traffic congestion, reduced road capacity, and increased travel time while vehicles also suffer damage. Furthermore, damaged roads can also negatively impact local businesses since customers avoid visiting areas with bumpy roads. In addition, dilapidated roads also lead to increased air pollution since vehicles may need to travel long distances or remain idle for long periods of time,” observed Waqas.
Commenting on the matter, a spokesperson for the LDA assured that road repairs were currently underway, with a significant portion of the road network, including the main highways, already resurfaced. “In the first phase, the government focuses on constructing and repairing roads based on the LDA's identification,” they said.
It is worth mentioning that each year, significant funds, amounting to Rs25 to Rs30 billion are allocated for the repair of old roads. However, due to the poor quality of these repairs, the roads start deteriorating in no time. In fact, many areas, including Gawalmandi, Samanabad, Allama Iqbal Town near Muslim Town Mor, and Johar Town Main Boulevard, experience the formation of manholes during the rainy season, resulting in numerous accidents. Although these roads are temporarily repaired, no permanent solution has been found thus far.