By Iftikhar Ahmad

FAISALABAD, Dec 18 (APP):The dust clouds oozing out of dug-out roads with the passage of vehicles and mixing with industrial and vehicular emissions were posing serious health hazards to residents in different parts of Faisalabad city.

These suspended particulate matter not only produce smog, resulting in diminished visibility and road accidents but also expose citizens to multiple airborne diseases, especially those travelling by bikes, rickshaws, and other exposed vehicles.
Many roads dug out by departments like Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), and Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) to lay down pipelines were left unattended after their work is completed.

Consequently, the uncollected dust on the roads scatters all around with the movement of light and heavy traffic directly flowing to nearby houses and the lungs of the passersby.
The heaps of mud lying along roadsides and unfilled cavities and potholes hamper the smooth flow of traffic resulting in delays, traffic jams, and accidents as 25 to 30 main roads of the city are damaged and need immediate repair.

These roads include Faisalabad-Sargodha road, Chibban road, Khadija Memorial road, Jhumra road, Civil Lines road, Sheikhupura road, the road from Noorpur Stop to Noorpur Graveyard (Sabzi Mandi), Qaim Sain road, Hosiery Market road, main graveyard road from Nabh to Adam Chowk, Sheikhupura road, Malik Pur road, Gulistan Colony road, 66 feet Bazaar Nishatabad road, Chowk Jameel Abad-Jamia Salfia road, Ghazi Abad-Nallay Wala road, Ghona Road, Saifabad road, Fish Market road, Chak 204, Factory Area and Nazim Abad roads.

Residents in these areas have expressed serious concern about this situation describing it as a case of sheer negligence on the part of concerned agencies that leave these roads unrepaired after digging and laying down pipelines.

“The situation is pathetic. All the dust generated from the road in front of our house travels to our houses even bedrooms,” stated Omar Latif, a resident of New Civil Lines. “This road was dug out weeks back but not cleared of rubble that exposes us, especially the minors to multiple diseases.”

He demanded immediate action by concerned authorities to address this issue and secure people from diseases like cough, flu, bronchitis, and even asthma.
“This is quite worrisome that the third largest city of the country seems like the dirtiest due to dust and smoke clouds hovering over our heads,” said Javed Chaudhry, a resident of Gulistan Colony near Millat Chowk.

“The civic agencies do not turn up to clear the rubble after digging out streets and roads. Once their pipe laying work completes, they leave us at the mercy of dust and smoke,” he regretted.

The situation is also not different for the patients and school-going children who are equally exposed to this phenomenon.
“The students travelling by vans, rickshaws, motorbikes, and especially those on buses’ rooftops are the worst exposed to polluted air and accidents,” said Rana Muhammad Arif, Secretary General Anjuman Islah-e-Muashira. “They cannot help going schools whatever the condition of the road. Therefore, it is the shared responsibility of all concerned to construct or repair the worn-out roads and potholes on priority.”

Health experts are equally concerned about this situation with Dr. Anas Hameed warning of airborne diseases and injuries after accidents on damaged roads.
“Dust and air pollution due to depreciated roads create respiratory problems,” he said. “Moreover, potholes on roads could also cause compression on the backbone, disc herniation, spinal fracture, and severe lower back pain.”

He said roads with unusual cavities are more dangerous for aged people as they may suffer from cough, congestion, and bronchitis after inhaling polluted air. “Similarly, pregnant women have to suffer extra pain due to bumps and traffic jams when on their way to hospitals.”

The vehicle owners are also victims of this phenomenon complaining of damages to their vehicles after striking into potholes.
“In many cases, the situation is too pathetic. Traffic jams on shabby roads increase fuel consumption to 20 percent besides damaging tyres, engines, and body parts,” said Muhammad Asghar, spokesman of the truck drivers’ association. “We have to bear extra charges and financial loss due to this phenomenon.”

“All roads leading to the vegetable market were damaged and equally damaging for our vehicles and the products. It is too problematic for us,” said Ejaz Ahmad, a spokesman for Farmers’ Association Jhang Road.

It has been learned that in some areas, the people or departments deposit charges for the repair of dugout roads but concerned departments fail to repair it well in time.

“The Communication and Works Department (CWD) was not responsible for wear and tear of roads,” said a spokesman of local administration Muhammad Owais. “It is not our fault if any department leaves a dugout road unrepaired or if any road dilapidates due to overloading by goods vehicles.”

He said heavy trailers and trucks add extra load on four-wheelers just for their petty profit and damage the roads. “The CWD has not enough force to monitor and control the passage of heavy traffic with the extra load.”

He said the cases of damaged roads have been put up before the government and repair work would be started as soon as the funds are available.

In this scenario, the worst exposed community to health hazards is the Traffic Wardens who had to control unruly traffic, at the same time fight out the pollution.

“Traffic goes unruly when commuters frequently change lanes to avoid the pothole, becoming a real nuisance for us,” said a Traffic Warden Muhammad Shehzad. “Damaged roads add to pollution and we are the worst exposed community to airborne diseases.”

The citizens have demanded from the district administration and other concerned departments immediately take notice of this dilemma that exposes millions of Faisalabadites to serious health hazards.

By Dr. Saeed Ahmad Ali

LAHORE, Dec 18 (APP): Railway transportation has a crucial role in the economic development of any nation, especially a country like Pakistan by providing a cheaper mode of traveling and boosting economic and industrial activities.

Besides promoting national integration and intra-development, cheaper railways transportation and its large-capacity haulage over long distances facilitate both routine travelers and ferrying industrial goods.

Through this medium millions of people and tones of freight can be transported from one city to another within the country and boost regional trade by extending its network to neighboring states.

Promotion of this sector also generates employment for technical hands, engineers, administrative officers, and the labor class besides providing middle and lower middle classes a cheaper source of the journey.

According to the Pakistan Railways Headquarters record, stretching from Torkham to Karachi, the state-run Pakistan Railways owns 7,791 kilometers (4,841 miles) of track across the country, offering freight and passenger services.

“Economic rationale for rail communication enables transporting raw materials like metallic, mineral, grain, wood, chemicals and other products while moving millions of passengers from one destination to another,” said Chief Mechanical Engineer Pakistan Railways Ghulam Qasim.

Besides ferrying vehicles, agricultural and other important logistics, Railways also play a pivotal role in the transportation of defense equipment both during war and peacetime,” he added.

Ghulam Qasim said after the addition of heavyweight 4000 horsepower locomotives to its fleet, the freight service of Pakistan Railways had considerably improved its revenue generation.

“Most of these digital locomotives were equipped with the latest technology that uses less fuel and is environment-friendly. Each of these locomotives can haul up to 3,400 tones of load,” he informed. “Pakistan Railways’ freight/goods sector earnings had augmented only due to hard work and commitment of its present team headed by Khawaja Saad Rafiq, the Railways Minister.”

According to him, Rs 1000 million had been earmarked to boost Pakistan Railway by replacing obsolete or old signal gear from Lodhran-Multan-Khanewal-Shahdara Bagh mainline section.

During the 2018-19 financial year, Pakistan Railways carried around 70 million passengers across the country. But, the coming years witnessed its continued deterioration with passengers complaining of poor services and common delays.

The PML-N government in 2014 had launched Pakistan Railways Vision-2026 for building new locomotives, restructuring and improving current rail infrastructure, increase in average train speed, improving on-time arrival performance, and provision of best passenger services. But, the PTI government was least bothered to carry forward this policy.

However, after taking over charge this year, the present government has allocated Rs2300 million for the repair of 100 diesel-electric locomotives to improve the availability and reliability of running locomotives.

Director General Public Relations (DGPR), Pakistan Railways, Babar Ali Raza has also informed about several projects like upgrading infrastructure, retrieving railways land from encroachers, overcoming trains delay and meeting maximum punctuality, and improving revenue collection.

“Things are moving in the right direction. Pakistan Railways is doing its best with available resources and human capital,” Ali Raza said. “The day is not far off when Railways will once again become an earning hand for the state.”

The government in the 2022-23 budget has also allocated a sufficient amount for the execution of 36 ongoing and new projects for Railways. An official document reveals that Rs26,648.036 million have been earmarked for 32 ongoing projects, out of which Rs15974.500 million has been reserved for manufacturing and procurement of 820 High Capacity Bogie-Freight-Wagons and 230 passenger coaches.

“Revamping railway transportation can have multiplier effects on industrial activities,” Senior Vice President, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Zafar Mehmood Chaudhry. “If operated systematically, Pakistan Railway can help accelerate industrialization and boost the country’s economy.”

He said, in several Asian countries, the emergence of rail transportation has proven concomitant to an industrial take-off and accelerating prosperity.

It is due to concerted efforts of the present government that Pakistan railways have received first batch of around 46 of the total 230 high-speed modern coaches from China with a capacity to run at 160 kilometers per hour speed against the current 120 kilometers per hour speed.

“These modern coaches would offer an improved train travel experience to passengers as they comprise AC parlor, AC standard and economy classes for passengers, including luggage and brake vans,” said a Railways Ministry official.

After receiving 46 completely built units (CBUs) manufactured in China, Pakistan Railways would soon begin manufacturing 184 similar coaches at its carriage factory in Islamabad with the assistance of Chinese engineers under the technology transfer agreement.

“The passenger trains include 80 economy coaches and 80 air-conditioned standard trains, 30 lounge-type trains, and others,” he said and informed, for manufacturing 184 coaches in Pakistan, the Chinese firm will provide raw materials, spare parts, and expertise to the experts working on the project at Pakistan Railways Carriage Factory.

“We have signed another similar contract with a Chinese firm to manufacture 800 freight wagons and 20 brake wagons in Pakistan,” he said. “After receiving 200 modern freight wagons from China, the country would begin manufacturing 620 most modern wagons at its Mughalpura (Lahore) workshop and the carriage factory in Risalpur.”