WHILE travelling on Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway (M-1), one can easily notice regular violations of traffic rules on many locations. Pedestrians are seen waiting for public transport vehicles here and there and are being picked and dropped every now and then on the motorway by such vehicles. This is a very negative practice which should be discouraged.

The mechanism evolved by the motorway police to control the same is equally ineffective and fruitless. In order to control these violations of traffic rules, it seems the only option the motorway police has is to frequently impose and collect fines from the drivers of vehicles as well as from the pedestrians.

Although no one can disagree with imposing fines on those who violate the traffic rules, it is also a fact that this practice of imposing fines on the drivers, as well as on the pedestrians, has also failed to decrease such traffic violations; rather such traffic violations seem to be on the rise with every passing day. So, imposing fines on such violations of traffic rules is not a solution.

In order to resolve the issue once and for all, I would like to put forth three suggestions.

Firstly, the NHA is required to construct service lanes on both sides of the motorway for the conveience of people residing on both sides of it, enabling them to travel in local transport vehicles alongside the motorway.

Secondly, the NHA should construct mini-interchanges at short distances in major towns and villages which, on the one hand, will facilitate the travelling of the local people on motorway and, on the other hand, it will also earn a sizable income for the government.

Thirdly, instead of erecting, on both sides of the motorway, barbed steel wire which has already been stolen and is torn everywhere, the authorities concerned should construct just a five-foot-high wall on both sides. This will not only help in discouraging traffic violations by pedestrians but will also help in preventing the entry of animals, thus minimising considerably the ratio of accidents.

Hopefully, by adopting these measures, travelling on the motorway will become much safer.

Amjad Kheshgi
Nowshera