The National Highway in Balochistan previously known as the Regional Cooperation for Development Highway (RCD Highway) has become a death trap because of the high number of accidents that occur every day. The highway provides a direct link from Quetta to Karachi and is also the only highway that links Balochistan to Afghanistan and Iran.
Many locals suspect that the number of deaths on the highway could be as high as 6,000 per year. The single carriageway and high flow of traffic coupled with reckless driving is the main reason for fatalities. The single track also links the districts of Lasbela, Khuzdar, Surab, Kalat, and Mastung to Quetta, which is why it is severely congested during rush hours.
Across Balochistan, poor roads and single-lane highways have been the major cause of daily casualties. The condition of the highway reflects poorly on the country as it is the main link to different industrial areas and is the second-largest highway in Pakistan. The relevant authorities must reconstruct it and convert it into a multi-lane highway to ease the flow of traffic and ensure the safety of all passengers. Also, motorway police must be always present to regulate traffic on busy routes. CCTV cameras should be installed to keep a check on the traffic and act against those found violating traffic rules. Lastly, the commissioner of the Kalat division must draw schedules for buses and other heavy vehicles to avoid traffic congestion on the routes as this will help curb accidents and reduce traffic.
JAVED AHMED
KHUZDAR
