ISLAMABAD: One of the busiest roads of the twin cities, I.J Principal Road is in urgent need of repair to ensure smooth traffic flow.

While some maintenance work was begun last week, it was not completed and a major segment of the road is still riddled with numerous potholes.

The road was originally built for light traffic travelling at a speed of up to 80km per hour but heavy traffic has been allowed on the road for many years. Loaded trailers and trucks ply on it, damaging the road surface and forcing the traffic to move at snail’s pace.

“Those who drive fast on this pothole riddled road endanger not only their own lives but those of pedestrians,” Shoaib Ahmed, a motorist said in Sunday.

Ambulance drivers and their patients suffer when travelling on this damaged road. “I lost my keys when my motorcycle hit a big pothole,” a motorcyclist Arshad Khan said.

A commuter, Farid Khan, said every day a truck with a broken suspension, caused by the bumby surface of the road, is seen parked on the side.

“The Capital Development Authority (CDA) should immediately start repair work by filling the potholes and installing signboards which are missing,” Shamim Akhtar, a driver said.

According to a traffic police official some 200,000 vehicles use the IJP Road every day. The road is also a link between Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The heavy flow of traffic from Pirwadhai, 9th Avenue, Double Road, Pindora Chungi, New Katarian, Dhoke Hassu, Khayaban-i-Sir Syed, and Faizabad enters I.J. Principal Road, creating traffic jams especially during rush hours.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2015

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