Daily Times

Smooth flow of traffic is a story of the past. The province of Punjab is in the grip of roads, flyovers and underpass construction mania. Almost all major cities, and in particular, Lahore and Rawalpindi are going through a phase of such extensive re-routing that one does not know how to reach one’s destination. To top it all, there is a recent announcement that preparations to help people go from one point to the other are not going to serve all objectives. For example, the well-known Kalma Chowk in Lahore, which has construction going on all around it, is likely to create new problems. The planners overlooked the fact that the two major towns, Model Town and Gulberg, need a reasonable link. Now more underpasses and flyovers need to be constructed in this area to link the two towns.

It is also being said that Chief Minister (CM) Shahbaz Sharif in his habitual frenzy ordered the PC-1 for his ‘development concept’ to be prepared practically overnight, and it was approved literally first thing in the morning. When the Sharifs want to do something they go after it and have it done. There is no doubt the project was going to need a colossal amount of steel. But the steel supply could not have posed a problem because the chief minister has industrial connections with groups that can meet all these needs.

Citizens are advised by advertisements to be patient, praise the chief minister, watch hundreds of his cheerful photos and hope for the ‘best’. The best keeps on slipping from the target dates. In the meantime, people’s vehicles have started to rattle because they have to cover distances on bumpy under-construction roads. These vehicles are contributing massively to air pollution. Journeys have become longer and longer due to traffic congestion, incurring more waste of petrol or diesel. More fumes mean more health hazards. Of course, the most important is the huge waste of valuable time.

I do not know about others, but I have seriously thought about my personal financial situation. There was a time five years ago that I could drive a reasonable 1800 cc car and fill up the tank in under Rs 2,000. Then, the price kept on rising but my income did not. Therefore, I decided to get a 1600 cc car and still felt that my social status was not devastated, but the cost of fuel stayed nearly within my limits. Then came the phenomenal rise in prices and the detours required by the obsessive road developments, further complicated by hours of being stuck in the congestion of traffic. I reviewed my financial situation and bought an 800 cc small car. This is now my means of transportation, which stays within my means. The income has not tripled, expenses have. I am moving from a middle class ‘sufaid posh’ (white collar)to someone struggling to survive. I may have to seriously consider the motorbike or scooter option soon. In fact, a two-wheeler has great advantages in mobility through traffic, like the economy of fuel, and of course, one can load the whole family on it and go for a picnic.

Returning to the transport facilities planned by the Mr Shahbaz Sharif, I must gratefully recognise the additional option after the two-wheeler option. Of course, the Metro Bus! So, this is the futuristic idea of the CM. He has foreseen that with the rising prices the population will have to consider the metro bus to go anywhere. He has also shown great farsight in connection with the coming elections. The project will leave with him massive funds to prepare for the next elections. Contractors can be also given the good advice to show their support for the PML-N. This will be all in the larger interest of the country. It is so because all great politicians have amassed millions of dollars to make sure they continue to serve the poor masses. They even stack up huge assets overseas to ensure their continuance of service. They also make every effort to keep those overseas Pakistan out of the loop of power in the country because who knows what devastation to the system may be brought by the dual nationality status. However, the money they sent amounting to several billion dollars is okay and acceptable, but not the sender of the money.

I digress again. It seems my mind has been deeply affected by the twists and turns I have been taking on the roads to go anywhere. Living in Model Town, I need to enquire every morning about the changes in the routes. Sometimes, one has to travel a few miles in the opposite direction and then make a U-turn. This is simple, but when you also have to go through the potholes, and your vehicle gets ready to be sent to the workshop, the development work starts to hurt.

The development work has also changed the face of the traditional city of Lahore. This city has had a character known for several centuries. The Central Model School, the Government College Lahore, the lower courts and several such buildings have archival value and symbolise an era in history. I am sure a way could have been found in planning the Metro Bus that minimised the damage to the classical ambience. The old cities in the world are protectively preserved for tourism, nostalgia and to keep the memories alive. The city of Berkeley in California does not allow any change in the exterior because hundreds of thousands of students return to the familiar surroundings of their youth. Will Lahore retain its character in future? This is a question that must be answered.

I can only hope that the ambitious Metro Bus and the new road layout will make some ultimate sense and be of use to the people. The traffic problems needed to be addressed, and I hope the solution sought by the CM works.

The writer is a former DG Pakistan National Council of the Arts, Secretary Arts Council Alhamra, COO of ICTV US, Chairperson Fruit Processing Industries, Chairperson Export Promotion Committee, head of several business delegations to European countries, specialist in arts management and cultural diplomacy. He is an expert callishtenist, dramatist, researcher, and the author of 8,000 years of the People of Indus Valley. Presently, he is the Central Vice- President APML and General Secretary, Punjab APML