REFERENCE the news report ‘Probe ordered into allegations of design changes in I/8 interchange’ (Nov 20).

I have been travelling on the Expressway/Islamabad Highway for the last two decades. The convenience, and saving of precious time at the newly functional I/8 interchange is immeasurable.

As for the design flaws of I/8 interchange, the fault lies with us because we are not in the habit of reading signboards, and have yet to learn traffic discipline.

The Faizabad interchange originally had a loop, connecting it to I.J. Principal Road for traffic coming from the Club Road, but later on it was altered. As a result, the commuters coming from Club Road have to first proceed to Islamabad Expressway and take a U-turn, causing a traffic blockade at that point.

Then again, billions were incurred on the two interchanges at the junction of Jinnah/Eighth Aavenue and at Zero Point, but no provision was made for traffic moving from G/7 to G/8 and vice versa, resulting in haphazard movement of traffic at the improvised U-turns between the two interchanges just within a distance of a kilometre.

Previously this portion was the smoothest. Coming to the projects now being undertaken on the Expressway, near Gulberg, have the planners visualised the traffic bottleneck it is going to create for the vehicles moving beyond this interchange? It will be free for all, including the heavy traffic, especially at the bridge.

K. Sufi
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2016