Travelling on the roads of Kabul has become a source of depressing frustration that soars with every passing day. The distance once covered in half hour now takes more than an hour.
The dust, the noise, the road blockades and many more factors have seriously affected the mental and emotional soundness of the inhabitants of Kabul. People now fail to reach to their offices or workplaces on time, students get late from their institutes and taxi drivers complain of losses due to the fuel being burnt down on the way.
With this, number of taxis available for public on different routes is constantly decreasing and thus we notice a plethora of passengers waiting beside the roads for the taxis or vans of their respective routes and the number keeps increasing. At times, it happens that one feels that he can reach home earlier on foot than that of a taxi or a van.
However, walking is also not a good idea as you are showered with dust and mud on the way, not only ruining your clothes and hair but also causes serious risks to your health. For this frustrating situation, many factors are responsible.
The prime factor guilty of this situation is the behavior of public. We are ourselves responsible for our miseries. Everyone tries all his best to get through and reach to his destiny without exercising or abiding by the laws of traffic.
They move to the other lane, drive bluntly into a one-way, break the traffic signals, do not follow the traffic sergeants' directions and many more. Second factor responsible is the unplanned and poorly correlated construction of roads in which construction work has been started on many roads and streets at the same time and thus traffic remains permanently under pressure in those areas.
Third is the VIP treatment in which some influential people, both of government and private, have absolutely blocked the streets or roads of their residence and thus pressure comes on the adjacent roads and streets.
And most importantly, the VVIP movements in which roads are blocked and traffic is jammed 10-15 minutes before a minister or government official passes away with his luxurious convoy. This act of ministers and top government officials has turned the public into their enemies that can be easily realized by the comments they pass on such occasions.
It is needed that construction work of roads should be expedited and completed as soon as possible. Awareness in public about traffic rules can be increased by use of media like newspapers and television.
VIP blockades and movements should be decreased to the lowest and facilitator of the people should no more act like their masters. It is hoped that miseries of residents of Kabul can be decreased to some extent with the practical implementation of the above-mentioned measures.