ISLAMABAD: The city managers are planning to construct elevated u-turns on Srinagar Highway as reportedly speeding, reckless driving and road accidents have increased on this road after it was made signal-free to minimise congestion, earlier this year.

The traffic engineering department has been given the task to submit eco-friendly designs for this purpose within five days, based on existing data with future needs in mind, chairman of CDA retired Capt Mohamamd Usman tweeted on Wednesday, after chairing a meeting.

The meeting was held here at the CDA Headquarters, which reviewed various proposals to make Srinagar Highway, a signal-free corridor on a permanent basis. The chairman directed officials concerned to use data to design futuristic elevated u-turns keeping in view, the growing population of the city, according to a press release.

He said that with the launch of an integrated bus service in Islamabad and after completion of ongoing projects, traffic flow will become smooth and this will help in reducing fuel consumption and protection of the environment.

It is relevant to note here that a report prepared by Sadia Aslam from the Department of Sociology, Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), on ‘Fundamental Causes of Road Accidents on Srinagar Highway Islamabad’ stated that the highway had been made signal-free to minimise congestion, but it was threatening people’s lives as reckless driving and accidents had risen.

Road safety has been adversely affected due to impractical or weak implementation of the standard operating procedures (SOPs) over road safety in the country, the report said, adding that according to the Excise and Taxation Department, increase in road accidents is due to old vehicles plying on roads.

According to details collected from Islamabad Traffic Police, there were 56.3 percent fatal and 43pc non-fatal accidents on Srinagar Highway in 2021. So far in 2022, there have been 43pc fatal and 56pc non-fatal accidents on the highway.

In 2021, speeding was the main cause of road accidents and out of 118, 59pc were fatal and 40pc non-fatal, it said, adding the share of fatal accidents due to speeding in 2022 was 47.6pc and non-fatal was 52.3pc.

Among accidents caused by reckless driving in 2021, 43pc were fatal and 56pc non-fatal. In 2022, 44pc of such accidents were fatal and 56pc were non-fatal.

“U-turns on Srinagar Highway are one of the most dangerous driving maneuvers and have consequences in the form of road fatalities. An unexpected maneuver does not allow speeding vehicles to change and avoid accidents,” the report said.

Published in Dawn, October 13th, 2022