AS a resident of Model Town, Lahore, I was dismayed to find that the underpass built at a cost of Rs500 million and opened to traffic on Jan 11 has, at least as of Jan 17, apparently been designed to cater to only the traffic coming from the city, Gulberg, etc., and entering Model Town.

The most important element seems to be missing is that there is no provision for the traffic getting out of Model Town and turning right towards Kotlakhpat, Amarsidhu, Kahna, Kasur or going straight towards Askari complex and adjoining areas of Gulberg.

As a layman, I would have thought that possibly a two-level underpass going beneath the track for metro bus should have been constructed -- one to bring traffic from the city into Model Town and the other for the traffic going out from Model Town towards Kasur and also straight to Askari Complex, Gulberg, etc.

Maybe, there will be a second phase but the whole could have been done within almost the same timeframe and cost. Or, perhaps, there are some other plans.

AMIR ALILahore