Commuting Problems In Lahore
I live in a two thousand old city which is a slice of heaven for foodies — Lahore.
Have you heard Celine Dion’s song “A new day has come” — how in the video everyone has an early morning hue, a sudden realization of a fresh beginning in life — I feel exactly the same when I wake up today. The gaze in the morning light, taking in the first rays with a cup of tea and reminiscing. My intellect worked at breakneck speed, traveling and delving through all corners of my mind.
Today, my journey began on my official staff coaster when I left for the office. As soon as I stepped out of the house, the half-constructed unfinished road (for three months) welcomed me wholeheartedly.
In the area where I live, the streets here are the worst which makes it hard for people to travel in comfort. Many high-quality vehicles suffer from early wear and tear since they were not designed to run on badly damaged roads.
When we reached mall road, beautiful Istanbul Chowk reflected ties with Turkey. In the midst of Istanbul Chowk, a square with a high pole holds many birdhouses. Every day, thousands of birds, usually pigeons, circle the area, waiting for locals to come and feed them. Now, look at all these pigeons, think about why they always appear in the flock? Just because they rely on teamwork and learn from each other about the best places to eat.
Then there comes Multan Road — a 13KM long road with several landmarks and home to a lot of commuting issues.
- Street vendors and hawkers make up the informal market at Multan Road. No doubt they contribute significantly to the growth of the economy of Lahore. However, because they have no fixed location, they travel all over the city, causing traffic jams and accidents. The government must designate certain locations for street vendors to sell their stuff. This will help in the removal of any unwanted traffic from the roads.
- Although Qingqi’s presence on Multan Road is a blessing for many — a cheap mode of transportation for short distances — the vehicle is also one of the major causes of traffic jams because, with no designated stops, it frequently stops in the middle of the road for passengers, causing traffic congestion. Moreover, The Qingqi rickshaws are the cause of accidents due to underage drivers, overloading, and lack of safety measures. The untrained drivers not only endanger themselves and their passengers but also cause accidents with other vehicles due to their disregard for traffic rules.
- Dust in the air on Multan Road is caused by a lot of factors i-e a combination of vehicle and industrial emissions, smoke from brick kilns, the burning of general waste, and dust from construction sites. Air pollution is an issue that needs to be urgently addressed as Lahore is now considered amongst the most polluted cities in Asia.
As we turn towards Wahdat Road, parking woes there at different locations. Parking issues are becoming worse despite the contours of Lahore stretching and expanding the city. The most common causes of this are; motorists are not well informed, and parking capacity is being used inefficiently.
Throughout my way to the office, I came to realize that there is a dire need for government intervention to implement strict policies and hold people accountable for their actions. Punjab transport department needs to issue regulations and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the public.
On my way back home on the same route, the setting of the sun illustrates how a journey’s end can be so beautiful. When I watch the sunset, it feels as if everything is paused and colors are flying through the sky to paint the world. Sun appeared tired and wished to rest. I try to focus on the dipping monster and watch it sink which turned redder and redder. The Earth continued its rotation and drag me along to impede my view… and lo! The Sun has gone.
It’s time for maghrib prayer, so I rush home.