In the middle of the night sheer pain was excruciating head
to toe taking me almost down. It was the night of 28th September
when I was sitting on a bench outside ward #3 at CMH Gilgit, a far flung area of
Pakistan where progress is more subject to political and international agendas less to welfare of the common man.
The reason being in trauma was not me but a relative of mine
who had met an accident on KKH that passes right through my Distict HunzaNagar
that serves as a corridor between Pakistan and china. Thanks to Allah my
relative was safe but it was a nightmare to see a teenage boy in another ward
who had also faced a bike accident on KKH. He was in a very critical condition.
Built in the late 1970s stretching almost 900km from Hasanabdal
to Kashgar, KKH has been a major transit route between Pakistan and china.
Formerly it was a rough highway with pavement failure in form
of alligator cracks, rutting and even potholes all along with less maintenance.
Well that sounds bad but at that time KKH was safer rather I would say “not
deadly”.
Soon in the recent years KKH was rehabilitated and renovated
by Chinese government in collaboration with Pakistan. The rehabilitation work
completed in 2013. KKH was widened and paved to the best standards.
Well kudos to all in the plan as trade seemed booming up and conveyance
turned convenient.
But the celebrating days lasted no more as traffic accidents
became frequent and common that has now washed triumphant faces with tears and painted
them with scars and fear.
|
A car after accident on KKH |
Today KKH seems haunted as casualties are happening due to frequent
road accidents. I myself am witness to the deadliest accidents in which very
young souls departed. That teenage boy I mentioned earlier succumbed to
injuries within two days. Today Hospitals around KKH seem loaded with teenagers
fighting for their life due to bike accidents almost every day.
Cursing engineering in this case would be superstitious and
illogical as to me, it is not Engineering that is bellowing the death bagpipe.
After my graduation I have been living around KKH for more than
4 months. I observed that almost all the accidents occur due to carelessness,
negligence and overconfidence of drivers travelling on KKH. People driving on
KKH must understand that the road they are using is no more a link or arterial
road system. It has now been upgraded and built on international standards by
the Chinese engineers.
Following are my
observed causes of increased traffic accidents on KKH:
1-
Over
speeding
2-
Ignoring traffic signs
3-
Dysfunctional
speed meters in most of the vehicles.( Drivers do not observe it even if functional)
4-
Teenage
drivers (mostly bikers)
5-
No
use of Helmets and seat belts at all.
6-
Sleeping
while driving ( a striking factor)
7-
Overconfident
drivers with rash driving habits i-e overtaking and racing
Being a Civil Engineer
I suggest following remedies to the problem:
1-
Please
drive slow and always keep left to the median (center line of road), especially around
turns.
2-
Please
keep a functional speed meter and keep an eye on it while driving
3-
I
request all parents to please please do not allow your children below 20 to
ride bikes. Use a helmet always even if you are riding on unpaved road. It
saves you from head injury which in most cases turns fatal.
4-
I
request all drivers to please follow traffic signs as they are source to avoid
accidents and to have a smooth drive.
5-
Always
keep patience while driving. Keep your lane and avoid racing and overtaking
vehicles ahead.
I have written my observations with a hope to bring good to
all driving on KKH (especially the indigenous people) either they be anyone
hailing from any area, having any kind of mindset, sect and caste.
All I want it a safer KKH as it is pride of Pakistan being
the 8th wonder of the world” running through the chest of Karakorum and Himalayas which are known as the “Roof of the world”.
I request all of you who go through this to spread the word
around you. It will be bliss if our few words of awareness save even a single
life.