Canal Road has recorded 619 accidents during the current year, including 129 incidents in October alone, despite the divisional administration forming five technical committees over the past eight years. The majority of these accidents occurred at intersections, bridges, entry points, and bus stops.
Specific locations have emerged as high-risk zones. Thatta Pul was reported as one of the most dangerous points with 48 accidents this year. This was followed by Pipan Wala Bridge with 32 accidents and Kashmir Bridge with 25. Other areas identified as accident-prone include Mandi Mor, Novelty Bridge, and Char Chak Wala Chowk.
Abdul Jabbar, a resident of Dhudi Wala, stated that the original master plan required commuters to use service lanes and access the thoroughfare only through designated entry points. He alleged that influential figures caused the creation of several additional entry points, bridges, and access routes, which he claims has undermined traffic management and endangered commuters.
Successive commissioners formed technical committees to address traffic problems on the road, but their recommendations failed to translate into practical measures. Former commissioner Saqib Manan constituted a committee to improve traffic flow, and his successor, Asif Iqbal, also formed a committee. Former commissioner Silwat Saeed established a technical review committee including engineers from the Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) and other departments.
Later, former commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar formed another committee of engineers from various departments. This group proposed redesigning Canal Road, leading the FDA to submit an annual development scheme worth approximately Rs1.5 billion to the provincial government. That scheme has yet to receive approval.
Incumbent Commissioner Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh has now constituted another committee to review road infrastructure and propose measures to improve traffic flow and reduce accidents. According to an official statement, the committee will review the remodelling of roads, U-turns, and ramps to remove bottlenecks. The committee, headed by the additional deputy commissioner (enforcement), includes representatives from the highways department, traffic police, the municipal corporation, and the FDA. The FDA has been tasked with technical planning and road redesigning.
