And now to our daily lives has been added a fear of bridges. A suspicion that any of the other bridges that we have in the city could collapse, either partly or entirely. But which one? The option for each one according to his fears, and his perception on this subject of bridges or flyovers or underpasses or wherever.
I am thinking of the national airline, PIA also, which has been stopped (banned?) from flying to some of the best airports in the West (or world?) The PIA mess is another tale that torments the patriotic amongst us. But let us keep that for another day. I have resisted the temptation to get carried away for a while with the thought of bridges that build human relationships and bonds, but I am not in that mood this evening as I write this column delayed by a variety of factors that reflect the inefficiencies of the system that we live by.
The system. Indeed the system that we have reached in terms of efficiency is pathetic and pathologically almost sick. We seek good governance whereas in reality there is almost no governance, demonstrated so characteristically by the private and the public sector organisations. Employees shirk responsibilities and employers fail to adopt the standards that good governance demands.
WE use that expression "good governance" as a cliché, with managers pursuing futile mechanical routines in their half-hearted attempts to revolutionise the system. The system apparently remains solidly, cemented to a status quo that drags its feet. A system that is so eloquently exhibited in, for instance, the Northern Bypass Bridge at Shershah that collapsed on Saturday last.
Much has been said of this bridge from the time the TV cameras reached the spot - and in the flood of events that typifies our lives at this point in time - more will be said. But it only enhances the shock and dismay and betrays the fact that there is lacking something mammoth when it comes to meeting the standards of safety. Not just is there, perhaps, lacking an awareness of safety concerns in the professionals who are entrusted with tall promises, these mega projects, but there is also a vulgar pursuit for political mileage to be had with unrealistic schedules and deadlines that are set.
Safety concerns about this Northern Bypass have surfaced with the tragic collapse of the bridge that took away ten innocent lives. I cannot get away from the loss of life factor in this bridge collapse. What had these ordinary citizens done to deserve this end is something that must haunt even the slightly sensitive individuals amongst us, who will empathise with the families of those who perished last Saturday.
But the point to contemplate is that if there were safety questions still left unresolved in totality then why was the bridge inaugurated earlier last month? There are reports which indicate that responsible officials have said that there was a design flaw in the bridge. Who approved the design? Who approved or appointed the men who designed the bridge? And there are other reports which indicate that the bridge was on a test run. If this is true, it is a grave aspect of the pathological faults of the system.
Was the public taken into confidence? Asked one citizen, about this test run factor. The general impression officially broadcast was that the bridge was functioning as a normal "pathway to progress" By the way, it is so disgusting the way in our system rushes to announce the completion of projects and seek the publicity that comes from media exposure But look at this other side of the ignominious picture. A bridge has collapsed. A bridge that was inaugurated 25 days before the tragedy.
It is relevant to mention here the APP report which mentioned last month that the President General Pervez Musharraf inaugurated the 56 kilometer long Northern Bypass project completed at a cost of Rs 3.5 billion and said that it would not only help ease the traffic problems in Karachi but also boost the economy. He also congratulated the engineers and technicians of the National Highway Authority and the National Logistics Cell on the success of the mega project.
In Saturday's story about the collapse, the electronic media in many instances underlined the point that the Northern Bypass was inaugurated only 25 days ago. Is it not natural to wonder why there was this haste to inaugurate the project? There is much else to wonder about?
Of course there are cynical comments, and pessimistic responses that have been heard about the bridge collapse. Disgusted residents have responded by saying that a system that is unable to build decent roads, (read proper durable, safe roads) should not be relied upon to build safely vertically. It is possibly stretching the point too far. But seriously speaking the failure to build roads, is something that appears to have been accepted as a routine.
One gets this impression in view of the sorry state of roads, for instance in the entire Saddar area. The monsoon rains have destroyed the roads, and this is not even focused upon by the media. There are bigger issues. The failure of DHA or the Clifton Cantonment Board, or other themes.
This disaster has underlined once again the inability of the city to meet the challenges of emergencies - which was last highlighted when the PNSC building fire broke out and destroyed everything inside. That fire, like some other things has been sidelined with new stories taking over.
The latest news story that has taken a central position is that of the bomb blasts in Rawalpindi, which killed at least 31 people and injured in varying degrees at least 70 others.
But, of course, all this is happening in the larger outer context of the political crisis or political storm that is enlarging its canvass - with the pundits suggesting that the next few days are significant. Crucial?
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