EVERYDAY when I watch the news there is something or the other about an accident on the Indus Highway. To be honest it scares me and makes me reluctant to drive on any highway. I constantly think about people who take the highway frequently and wonder if they will reach their destination safely or not.

Looking at this highway which is a 103km long single road and was built in the 1990s, it is interesting to note that back in the day traffic was not what it used to be and thus the highway was adequate for the people.

However, in 2019 I think it would be correct to say that the highway does not meet our demands. The population has increased which means that the number of cars on the road has also gone up so it would make sense to make some changes to the highways basic structure. If we do nothing, then the number of head-on collisions will keep increasing.

I would like to point out another reason for frequent accidents, a bridge was constructed over Indus River near Amri to shorten the distance between Nawabshah and Sehwan. Long vehicles use this bridge to enter the single road highway and in most cases, cause a massive accident.

It is sad to note that the National Highway Authority officials have made no effort to reduce the number of accidents on this particular highway. There are no cautionary signboards either to inform drivers about road conditions.

The provincial and federal government should look into this immediately.

Abdul Jabar Rustaman

Wahi Pandhi, Sindh

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2019