INTERNATIONAL DESK — Despite the formation of five technical committees by the divisional administration over the past eight years, the Canal Road has witnessed 619 accidents during the ongoing year, including 129 in October. Most of the accidents took place at bus stops, entry points, bridges and several intersections, raising concerns about the safety of commuters travelling on the busy road.
Thatta Pul has emerged as one of the most dangerous points, with 48 accidents reported in the year, followed by Pipan Wala Bridge, where 32 accidents were recorded, and Kashmir Bridge with 25 accidents. Other accident-prone locations include Char Chak Wala Chowk, Novelty Bridge and Mandi Mor. A resident of Dhudi Wala, Abdul Jabbar, said the original master plan required commuters to use the service lanes alongside Canal Road and access the thoroughfare only through designated entry points.
He alleged that several additional entry points, bridges and access routes had subsequently been created at the behest of influential figures, undermining traffic management and putting commuters at risk. Successive commissioners formed technical committees to address traffic problems on the road, but their recommendations failed to translate into practical measures. During the tenure of former commissioner Saqib Manan, a technical committee was constituted to improve the traffic flow.