The Punjab government has introduced a dedicated green bike lane in Rawalpindi for motorcycle riders after Lahore to tackle traffic problems.

Motorcyclists will now be able to easily travel on a dedicated track from Gulzar-e-Quaid to Flying Club and from Flying Club to Korral Turn on Old Airport Road.

As the City Traffic Police (CTP) is working to raise awareness among motorcyclists and also enforce the rules, says Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Director -General Kinza Murtaza that reflectors and signals will be placed on Green Biker Lane, especially by swing.

In addition, two monuments are being built on specific points on the road to highlight the culture of Punjab and Rawalpindi, she adds.

Following the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to ensure even traffic flow and safe travel on roads, RDA has launched a pilot project.

In the first phase, a five-kilometer track for motorcyclists has been developed on both sides of Old Airport Road at a price of RS45 million with a 12-foot wide green bike lane.

The track that extends from Corral Chowk to Flying Club and back is partially completed and is now on a operational basis. There is still work on one side of the road. Motorcyclists have already begun to take advantage of the dedicated track.

According to RDA DG, a special type of paint has been used to ensure that cyclists do not slip, even under rain. The facility is gradually expanding to other busy roads in the city, including Nur Khan Air Base and Murree Road.

CTP has inserted traffic guards at specific points on the road to enforce traffic laws and pay attention to motorcyclists regarding Green Biker Lane.

Chief Traffic Officer Beenish Fatima believes the green bike lane will improve traffic flow and reduce accidents. She emphasizes that traffic laws will be treated with strict action.

When the track, when the track is fully operational, speed cameras will be used to monitor traffic. After Ramazan, roads will be declared strict enforcement of seat belts, speed limits and other traffic regulations.

Motorcyclists in Rawalpindi have expressed their satisfaction with the newly introduced lane, but some citizens have raised concerns about the service road or link road along the track from Gulzar-E-Quaid to Flying Club as vehicles passing through this area may interfere with the smooth flow of traffic and increase the risk of accidents.

Citizens have called on the authorities to tackle this question as well.

The initiative of the Punjab government to create the green bike lane by removing interventions and focusing on citizens’ convenience is commendable, but the government has to tackle any shortcomings in the pilot project in the next phase to ensure Punjab’s safety and well-being are in Punjab, they add.