IT is a matter of deep concern as well as sorrow that two young children lost their lives recently while crossing the railway track between Basti Saidan Shah and Dharampura Phatak Gate in Lahore.

Unfortunately, these innocent lives were lost simply becasue of the lack of a safe railway crossing in the area. It is a tragedy that could have been surely avoided if proper measures had been taken.

During the monsoon season earlier in the year, the main drainage nullah at Basti Saidan Shah overflowed, causing signi-ficant disruption. Despite repeated appeals to the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) authorities for a viable solution, the matter was ignored.

However, it was only after involving a political figure that the passage covering the nullah was dismantled. While this action temporarily alleviated the imme-diate chaos, it created a far more lethal problem.

The residents of Basti Saidan Shah, who previously used the passage as a shortcut to reach Dharampura and Mian Mir Darbar, were forced to take a longer route. Consequently, many began crossing the railway track, leading to the tragic death of two young children.

In fact, these children would have been alive today had the passage been rebuilt after the torrential monsoon rains that unleashed havoc across the province.

There is not an iota of doubt that the provincial government is responsible for the wellbeing of the people.

Now, it has become rather imperative for the provincial government to take immediate action to ensure the safety of the residents of Basti Saidan Shah.

M. Abid Hafeez
Lahore

Published in Dawn, November 4th, 2024