By: Sidra Sheikh
Published By: ANI News Agency
How many more lives must be lost before a road is made safe? Are the authorities waiting for more families to be shattered, more mothers to lose their children, more elderly parents to be deprived of their support, and more children to become orphans before they recognise their responsibilities? What is the value of a human life, and who will determine that value?
The road connecting Sheikhupura with Farooqabad stands at the centre of these disturbing questions, which cannot be answered through official statements, routine assurances or development plans that exist only on paper. This road is no longer merely a route connecting two cities; it has become a daily challenge for thousands of people. Every individual travelling along this road carries the hopes of a family, the prayers of a mother, the dreams of children and the happiness of an entire household. Yet, for many, the journey has become more about personal safety than reaching their destination.
When local residents begin referring to a road as a 'killer road', it is not simply a name. It reflects administrative negligence, inadequate infrastructure and growing concerns about public safety. Behind this description are families whose wait for a loved one to return has turned into an endless tragedy. There are mothers whose eyes remain fixed on the door, children who struggle to understand why their fathers never returned, and families whose lives are permanently changed by a single tragic moment.
One of the most concerning stretches begins beyond the Nabipura Underpass, where the presence of educational institutions, schools, colleges, universities and academies creates exceptionally heavy traffic. During the morning hours, schoolchildren carrying backpacks, school vans, Qingqi rickshaws, motorcycles, private cars and other vehicles compete for limited road space. Similar congestion occurs during the afternoon and evening.
Imagine a mother preparing her child for school. She straightens the uniform, places books in the schoolbag, kisses the child's forehead and sends them off to pursue an education. Little does she know that the road carrying her child's dreams may expose them to serious risks because of traffic congestion and inadequate road capacity. That child is not stepping out to demand anything extraordinary; they are simply going to school, learning and working towards a better future. Can the state and its administration not provide even this basic level of protection?
The problem is not merely the increasing number of vehicles but also the growing imbalance between road capacity and traffic flow. Motorcyclists struggle to find their way between cars, Qingqi rickshaws frequently change direction, larger vehicles create difficulties for smaller ones, and pedestrians are often forced to cross the road without safe crossing facilities. This is not an individual's problem; it is a collective public safety concern that cannot be resolved simply by advising drivers to exercise caution.
The fundamental question is: as the population grows, educational institutions expand, commercial activities increase and the number of daily commuters rises, what measures have been taken to improve the capacity of this road? Does development simply mean constructing new buildings, establishing more institutions and developing new residential areas? Who is responsible for ensuring that the necessary infrastructure accompanies this expansion? Can the relevant departments not recognise the pressure created by the growing volume of traffic on a road that was not designed to accommodate such demand?
This road is not used by students alone. It carries labourers leaving home early in the morning to earn a living for their children, employees trying to reach their workplaces on time, patients travelling for medical treatment and fathers hoping to return safely to their families in the evening. Every commuter is an important part of someone's life. The consequences of a road accident do not end with the injured or deceased individual; they extend to entire families and communities.
Unfortunately, in our society, the seriousness of a problem is often acknowledged only after a tragedy has occurred. Condolence messages are issued, regret is expressed and concern is demonstrated for a few days. Eventually, everything returns to normal for those who were not directly affected. But for a family that has lost a loved one, life never returns to normal. An empty chair remains, a familiar voice falls silent forever, and an endless wait begins with no possibility of reunion.
Is the administration's responsibility limited to responding after accidents, or does it also include taking preventive measures to reduce the risk of such incidents? Is the role of the Highway Department confined to road construction and maintenance? Is the responsibility of traffic police limited to issuing fines, or does it also include traffic management, smooth transportation and public safety? Most importantly, if the relevant authorities are aware of the problems along this road, why has effective progress not yet become visible?
The Punjab Government, district administration, Highway Department and traffic police must now recognise this matter as a serious public safety issue rather than dismissing it as another routine complaint. A comprehensive technical and traffic survey of the Sheikhupura–Farooqabad Road should be conducted. Its existing capacity, daily traffic volume and future transportation requirements must be assessed, followed by a formal plan to upgrade it into a dual carriageway. A clear strategy regarding funding, official approvals and construction timelines should also be announced so that residents can see practical progress rather than receive another series of promises.
While a permanent expansion project is being planned and implemented, immediate temporary measures are equally necessary. Traffic personnel should be deployed during school and college hours. Effective speed-control measures, appropriate road signs, safe pedestrian crossings, strict enforcement of traffic regulations and proper monitoring of heavy vehicles must be ensured. These are not extraordinary demands; they are basic requirements for protecting human lives.
Another important question must be raised: will this road only receive government attention after another major accident? Will an incident involving a student become important only when it makes newspaper headlines? Will the authorities realise that the road lacks sufficient capacity only after another labourer's family is plunged into mourning? At what point will human life become a genuine administrative priority?
The residents of Sheikhupura and Farooqabad are not demanding luxury facilities. They are not seeking confrontation with anyone, nor are their demands driven by political or personal interests. They simply want a road where their children can travel safely to educational institutions, elderly citizens can commute without fear, breadwinners can leave for work with confidence, and every traveller can reach their destination and return home safely.
Grand claims of development have their place, but what is the value of development if people feel unsafe while travelling on the roads that connect their communities? If educational institutions continue to expand while the routes leading to them remain dangerous, what kind of development model is being pursued? If new residential areas continue to emerge without adequate transportation facilities, on what basis are claims of proper urban planning being made?
This road can no longer afford more promises, routine inspections and development projects buried in official files. Its problems must be addressed on a priority basis. The relevant authorities must be answerable to the public and explain what steps have been taken so far towards converting this road into a dual carriageway and when tangible progress can be expected.
Remember, a person travelling on a road is not merely a vehicle occupant or a statistic in traffic records. That person represents a mother's prayers, a father's support, a brother's affection, a child's future and an entire family's world. When someone leaves home, several eyes wait for their safe return. If that person never comes back, it is not just a passenger who is lost; a home loses its laughter, a family loses its support, and countless lives are left with lasting grief.
The time has come to move beyond issuing condolence statements after accidents and start taking meaningful measures to protect lives before tragedies occur. Preventing families from experiencing lifelong grief is far more important than offering them words of sympathy after an irreversible loss.
The Sheikhupura Farooqabad Road must be upgraded into a dual carriageway.
This is not a demand for luxury, political favour or publicity through development projects. It is a demand for the protection of human lives the lives of thousands of people who travel along this road every morning and simply wish to return safely to their loved ones in the evening.
How many more tragedies must occur before this road is finally made safe?
