THE transportation system in Pakistan is quite pathetic. It is not developed properly to meet the requirement of rising population. Road communication in rural, urban and semi-urban areas is already in poor shape and was further worsened by the 2010-11 floods.

According to the transport policy 2011 by the Sindh transport department, Pakistan has a high fatality rate of 19 deaths per 10,000 vehicles: out of this 65 per cent are pedestrian.

Most of the link roads as well as main roads are widely damaged due to lack of maintenance and safety precaution.

Shoulders and medians of the road are mostly not provided. Vehicles with improper lights and indicators carry no penalty.

Donkey carts move on the main road without any reflector. This may cause a major accident any time.

In urban areas almost half of the road is being used for parking by vehicles and carts which tend to traffic congestion and eventually a loss of time, fuel consumption and health hazards due to air and noise pollution. However such implications add volume to environmental degradation.

The role of Sindh transport department and the municipality over such degradation and lack in traffic rule enforcement is questionable.

It is very essential to start a project according to the climate so as to shun any weather interruption but construction of roads all over Sindh is going on which has been started just a month before the monsoon which is again questionable.

The government of Pakistan and all transportation authorities need to be very conscientious and should take safety steps to refine all the issues and raise the transportation development graph according to the laws and standards. It has been acknowledged worldwide that better transportation is a leading cause of wealth and prosperity of a country.

SANWAL KARIM CHANNA Badin