KARACHI, March 24: The at-grade roads and footpaths have been lying in a dilapidated condition since the inauguration of Liaquatabad flyover on April 21 last year.

The eroded and uneven roads are a constant threat to the lives of pedestrians and motorcyclists. A road accident in which two girl students and a motorcyclist were killed and nine others were injured by a recklessly-driven 5-C bus took place at Karimabad. The place of incident is a part of at-grade road and is yet to be constructed.

The footpaths in front of Al-Karam Square were dug-up in the past and their debris was placed on the road, which has made the road narrow. Due to the inefficiency of the traffic police, the inter-city bus operators have made their stopover in front of Al-Karam Square, making the road narrower.

The condition of roads beneath the flyover at the intersection of Liaquatabad No.10 and Karimabad was dilapidated and the traffic has been allowed to move on uneven and rough roads. Traffic signals at both the intersections are yet to be installed.

Area residents and concerned people complained that the contractors of the flyover completed the bridge and left the at-grade road construction incomplete causing nuisance to the area people as well as passersby and motorists.

Since the opening of Liaquatabad Flyover on April 21, its at-grade roads have been lying in a dilapidated condition with flowing sewage and causing agony and trouble to the area residents, motorists and pedestrians.

The entire at-grade 300 metre long road construction and other related facilities which are part of the project and were to be provided at both the intersections — Liaquatabad No 10 and Karimabad —- passing underneath the flyover, have been left incomplete for the past 10 months.

The sources said the then director-general (Technical Services) on the Flyover’s inaugural ceremony had claimed the work would be completed within eight months. Both the busy intersections — Liaquatabad No 10 and Karimabad traffic intersections — are still in such a bad condition that motorists using these intersections continue to experience rough ride, besides getting damaged their vehicles owing to uneven and bartered condition of these roads.

As the at-grade roads have developed deep potholes and # craters posing a threat to the lives of those using them, the accumulation of sewage also poses health hazard in the vicinity.

People residing in the nearby housing complexes expressed their apprehension that some major accident might take place on the alternative routes if the up-country heavy goods trailers which also include 16-wheelers usually take this route to reach Super Highway overturn owing to uneven and bumpy condition of the alternative routes/at-grade roads.

Their apprehensions were not heeded by the authorities concerned, the area residents said adding that the government and the police were shaken following the killing of two girl students near APWA College.

They said the police authorities were taking cosmetic measures to dilute the public pressure as the reason of the accident was being given by the police as failure of brakes, which would benefit the errant bus driver in a court and he would be freed as many others were exonerated in the past due to weak prosecution by the police in connivance with the transport mafia.