RAWALPINDI:
Litigants and lawyers have to cross in front of speeding vehicles to get to the district courts near Jinnah Park in the absence of a pedestrian corridor or overhead bridge.
Most of the courts shifted to the newly-constructed judicial complex, across the road, over three months ago but nothing has been done as yet to facilitate the pedestrians.
“The absence of a pedestrian corridor on the busy road can result in an accident and loss of life,” said Khurram Shahzad, an advocate.
Litigants and their counsels have to constantly shuttle between lawyers’ chambers at the former location of district courts and the judicial complex, weaving through heavy traffic, he added.
Rawalpindi District Bar Association General Secretary Malik Imran said they had asked for an underpass for pedestrians to make it safe for aging litigants and lawyers to traverse the road.
Representatives of the bar and the district coordination officer (DCO) had a meeting with Rawalpindi cantonment station commander a few days ago to convince him to agree on an underpass, he added. The station commander had suggested an overhead bridge.
We have tried to address the station commander’s security concerns regarding the underpass as the courts are located in a sensitive area, stated Imran.
When contacted, DCO Saqib Zafar said a proposal for an underpass designed by the National Logistics Cell had been forwarded to the Punjab government for approval.
The DCO said work on the project would begin as soon as it is approved.
In reply to a question, he said the proposed cost of the underpass could go up to Rs50 million.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2012.
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