The numbers of registered vehicles have grown doubled from 1.8 million in 2006 to 3.2 million and above in recent years. This magnanimous growth is fast multiplying further and mainly due to fastest growth in number of private two, three and four wheel vehicles. Similarly, the data also shows a rapid increase in the number of cargo vehicles. The growth in the number of public transport vehicles is also visible but remains the slowest growing transport in the country. All of these vehicles are bound to ride on a of 0.27 million km long road infrastructure that too has grown tremendously during the last decade in Pakistan.
Lack of adequate massive transit systems is one of the major reasons that causes colossal increase in the number of two and three wheel vehicles – the highest in total number of vehicles in Pakistan
The vehicle to people ratio is not very gigantic and the vehicle to per kilometer road ratio is not deplorable too in comparison with other fast urbanizing countries of the world. However, what converts this simple mathematical equation in to a mayhem is a list of otherwise controllable factors. Failing to address these factors, we experience quite a higher number of accidents and time and fuel losses. Such resulting figures are not only enormous but also impacting severely the health of people and the society. The accidents and traffic congestions are casting individual miseries and causing psychological frenzy at collective level thereby inciting distortion to our societal outlook on – and off – the road. The traffic codes and road ethics are ostensibly compromised and people are seen impacted psychologically. Depression and distress seem encapsulating our otherwise healthy societal mood. Ironically, our transport and traffic management system fails to exhibit efficient planning and management competencies. Any and every vehicle, irrespective of its condition and qualification to set on the road is permitted to join the transport infrastructure. There are provincial codes that bar the enfeebled and overage vehicles to come on the road. However, the traffic management personnel keep their eyes shut towards such vehicles in the [supposedly] spirit of providing poor vehicles the equal opportunity. However, these personnel seem ignorant of the severe impacts these high carbon emission and enfeebled vehicles pose to the transport system and the environment. The usage capacity of such vehicles is also seen compromising the transportation regulations. The quality of licensing people to drive vehicles is also an important factor adding complexity to the challenge of transport management. The standard operating procedures that are laid for licensing do not look as bad as the quality of driving that people exhibit on the road. Most of the people find it a trivial exercise to get a license for themselves and/or drivers. The alternative routes to get a license are more in vogue than appearing and attending the license exercise in spirit. It is only a shortsightedness to think that a license is merely a documentary authorization that permits driving. The result of such mentality is clearly a cause of higher number of accidents. Licensing is indeed a necessity to acquire adequate ability to drive any vehicle and which people must adhere in letter and spirit. The driving tendencies that we experience on the roads everyday need a serious reflection too. The violation of speed and traffic signals; bullying of small vehicles by four-wheel drive vehicles and lacking sense of speed proportion in congested areas are a few of the popular tendencies people chose to opt. Most of these tendencies are spurred by a special uncivilized mindset. People seldom consider that the vehicle they are providing to their immature children and inadequately trained drivers, whilst not accompanying them, could be fatal for themselves first and the people around too but later. These children and drivers often depict a behavior of the sort that as if it is only their exclusive right to drive on the road and every other person driving around must be wrong at all instances. Such a sense of [false] pride in themselves further paves ways to a mindset that enjoys giving a damn to the law and coercing to the people in case someone plunges in a matter of their disdain. A lawless creed thus seems ruling the main urban traffic roads. Unauthorized parking, commercial encroachments and unattended potholes further add misery to the lives of vehicle commuters. The traffic management staff seldom clears roads from unauthorized and obnoxious parking. People too seem quite irrelevant to the fact that their vehicle parked discretely could cause serious traffic disruptions and make peoples’ lives further terrible. Same goes without saying for the commercial encroachers. The shopkeepers rent out, illegally, their front space that are occupied by stall keepers. These stall keepers further encroach most of the space in front of their stalls leaving roads turned in to narrow streets. Rest of the road, left available to vehicle commuters remains ornate with potholes leaving the chaos further multiply. This is a usual sight of every urban center in Pakistan. Lack of adequate massive transit systems is one of the major reasons that causes colossal increase in the number of two and three wheel vehicles – the highest in total number of vehicles in Pakistan. This high number of two and three wheel vehicles is not only an expansive deal for the environmental factors but also adds in to peoples’ vulnerability towards hazards. People accept such a risky deal for that lacking access to massive transit system.
All we need is a comprehensive transport management system in order to meet the requirements of such an ordeal. Such a plan could be developed and implemented only by meeting first the foremost necessary condition that calls for a strong institutional commitment towards providing people a mass transit system. Also, an effective transport management plan would require provincial authorities to a) determine road and town thresholds, b) clearing factors of congestions, c) strict licensing procedures and d) training and monitoring of traffic management staff. Such a program will also need close coordination with the provincial road departments for efficient maintenance of roads. Last but not the least, an institutional crackdown to curb the corrupt practices across licensing, vehicle registration, encroachment removal and traffic management could not be overemphasized for addressing such a transport mayhem.
The writer is a development professional