Environment friendly public transport: A viable solution for improving air quality, urban mobility
PESHAWAR (APP): Once known as the “City of Flowers,” Peshawar with 2500 years documented history is now grappling with air pollution and traffic congestion, exposing its residents to various health hazards.
Once famed as fragrant blooms of monsoon’s flowers and red roses mostly blossomed in its ancient Mughal era gardens of Wazir Bagh and Shalmir Gardens, Peshawar has now been overshadowed by the relentless smoke exhausted from an influx of unregistered rickshaws, old taxis, and aging passenger vehicles where air pollution could be seen even with a naked eye due to dozens of brick kilns operating in its peripheries.
Congested areas like Hastnagri, Firdus, Khyber bazaar, Shoba, Tehkal, and Dabgari garden were engulfed by traffic congestion, where long queues of vehicles stretched endlessly, leaving many to stay for long hours in the hot weather amid traffic chaos.
Dabgari Garden, a vital center for medical services, has become a bottleneck where patients, often in ambulances, find themselves stuck for hours en route to essential care. “Traffic jams have made our life miserable,” lamented Fayaz Khan, a retired PST teacher while talking to APP at Dabgari Garden.
After spending nearly two hours navigating a route that should take just thirty minutes, he expressed frustration over the physical toll the gridlock takes. “My knees started to hurt from constant clutch and brake use while trapped in a massive traffic jam at Hastnagri-Firdus GT Road,” Fayaz said.
The transport department official told APP that the reliance on informal public transport has exacerbated the traffic situation as people still prefer wagons and taxis between Hayatabad and Chamkani despite BRT service.
“Most residents opt for unregistered rickshaws and taxis while travelling in the interior city, contributing to the traffic disorder on our streets, increasing problems for traffic policemen” he noted. The enforcement of regulations of traffic and environment laws to curb illegal operations is essential, alongside increasing BRT buses frequency to enhance mobility and combat air pollution in Peshawar.
Sadaf Kamal, Spokeswoman of Trans Peshawar told APP that BRT service has ensured speedy quality mobility in Peshawar where about 350,000 passengers were daily travelling through it. She said the number of buses has been increased to 244 in main corridor and feeder routes, helping in addressing the problem of traffic congestion on BRT routes.
Sadaf said that 503 smoke emitting wagons and buses were scrapped after launching of BRT at Peshawar and that compensation were paid to the owners besides jobs to its drivers and conductors. Due to BRT, she said the number of women passengers had increased from two percent to 30 percent besides positive social, educational and economic effects in lives of Peshawarties.
She said the Govt has planned to launch similar projects at Abbotabad, Swat and DI Khan. She maintained that BRT services were extended to Nasirbagh Road to link Regi Model Town with BRT’s main corridor and plans to extend it to Pabbi tehsil of Nowshera are under active consideration.
BRT’s services have been recognized both at national and international level and received five international awards including Institute for transport development and policy as gold standard award, sustainable transport award in 2022-24, prize for cities and best smart ticketing program.
As Peshawar seeks to reclaim its title as a City of Flowers, the transition to an environmentally friendly public transport system and strengthening of BRT service could help prove to be a panacea for addressing its air quality woes and traffic mess.
By addressing these pressing issues, the city has an opportunity not just to improve daily commutes, but to safeguard the health of its residents and restore the beauty of its environment.
The residents also demanded an increase of BRT buses and speedy completion of its commercial malls at Dabgari Gardens and Hayatabad Peshawar to increase its revenue vital to facilitate passengers.
