A FORMER finance minister has rightly said that opportunities, power and wealth in the country are limited to the top one per cent of the people. The rest of the underprivileged, undernourished and less educated suffer and continue to be exploited at the hands of that 1pc.

Recently, I happened to travel on the under-construction Bara Kahu bypass road via the newly-inaugurated Rawal Chowk interchange. Both are ambitious projects providing easy and uninterrupted access to two landmark places; one in Banigala and the other in Murree. Incidentally, both places have been home to two of our former prime ministers.

No doubt both projects will go a long way in easing the smooth flow of traffic on Murree Road. It will specially benefit the elites going to their palatial palaces/farmhouses in Banigala and their summer retreats in the hill station, without having to face the daily traffic blockage for hours. Also, they will not encounter the ugly slums that are presently a sore sight on the access route.

I was just wondering how the construction of the bypass and the flyover would ameliorate the misery of the people residing in these two unregulated areas that have dilapidated road network, haphazard and unplanned houses, no basic facilities, and no sewerage or proper drainage system.

It seems that the projects have been undertaken for the convenience of the wealthy and the mighty travelling to Murree and Banigala. Meanwhile, the residents of the said areas will continue to face the innumerable problems with no one to look up to.

What was needed was proper manage-ment of traffic at Serena Chowk on Khayaban-i-Suhrwardy for people commuting to and from the secretariat and government offices on Constitution Avenue, but there is no interchange, under- pass or flyover for the smooth flow of vehicular traffic. This should be sorted out.

Khaled
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2023