Islamabad’s Park Road will soon have three new pedestrian bridges after safety concerns from students and residents prompted the CDA to act following multiple accidents near universities.
Capital Development Authority (CDA) has raised the intention to build three new pedestrian bridges along the Park Road in Islamabad after there were major complaints over the safety of pedestrians. The move is months following the accomplishment of a Rs2 billion expansion project that transformed the route to one of the busiest and fastest roads in the capital. Nevertheless, the absence of pedestrian crossing around the major universities had led to criticism by students and residents who reported numerous accidents and close call incidences.
Park Road’s Expansion and the Safety Challenge
Expansion of the Park Road, which was finalized in January 2025, enhanced the 7.4 kilometer stretch into a six lane modern highway. Although the upgrade resulted in an improved traffic flow, it also posed some risks to the pedestrians, particularly to students who use the streets to travel in between the different universities and their hostels within the locality.
The route has several educational institutions, which include Comsats University, Iqra University, Abasyn University, and Park Turk School. The surrounding Hostel City with a population of 20,000-24,000 students has already transformed into a high-risk area because crossing the road is not safe. The inhabitants complain that the students have to cross the high speed traffic very frequently, and there is a lack of pedestrian facilities.
Students Demand Urgent Safety Measures
Students groups have lamented to the CDA and city administration thrice requesting them to focus on safety infrastructure. Abbas Khan, who is a student studying at Hostel City, has referred to the situation as being dangerous: “Thousands of students cross Park Road every day to get to their campuses, yet without pedestrian bridges and safety precautions, it has become a very risky affair. He said that several accidents have been recorded this year with cases of serious injuries.
These concerns have been reflected by faculty members of the Comsats University. They have a population of about 12,000 enrolled students with a large number of their student body living on the other side of the road therefore, they stressed that pedestrian bridges are highly needed. One of the members of the faculty remarked that, at least, some traffic lights or speeding control devices should be installed temporarily, in case the installation process is time-consuming.
Public Criticism and Accountability
The CDA has been harassed by residents and students who have pointed out the lack of pedestrian bridges when the project was first designed. Locals claim that the only existing pedestrian bridge on Park Road is close to Rawal Town, which left the rest of the road bare. According to Muneer Ali, another student resident, the CDA broadened the road with 6 lanes without paying attention to the simplest of the rules, i.e., pedestrian access. Should we not do something before a big tragedy occurs?
Urban planners also complain that in the road projects in Pakistan, the infrastructural facilities that encourage walking are usually given little attention. They caution that any non-integration of safe crossings will be detrimental to the investment of the people since it will result in safety and traffic issues in the long-term.
CDA’s Response and Upcoming Plans
Responding to the pressure, a spokesperson of CDA affirmed that the authority was going to start building three pedestrian bridges across Park Road, one of which was going to be on the area of Comsats University. The official assured us that we were informed of the situation and that we were going to install the bridges soon.
The other CDA representative disclosed that the plan is a part of a bigger city-wide response to enhance the safety of pedestrians. Besides the three bridges on the Park Road, CDA will also create the Srinagar Highway and Islamabad Expressway pedestrian bridges close to Kak Pul. It is hoped that these installations will improve the level of safety among the commuters and students.
Improving Urban Mobility and Pedestrian Safety
It is perceived that the new bridges are a key move towards alleviating the congestion and the number of accidents in the growing road system in Islamabad. According to experts, the consideration of the pedestrian infrastructure in conjunction with the ongoing transport projects must be among the top priorities of the urban authorities. The crossings will not only save lives of students but also will allow controlling the flow of traffic by aiding in the reduction of jaywalking and road accidents caused by sudden obstacles, especially around educational institutions, where the bridges will have thousands of crossings on daily basis.
Upon its completion, the project will help resolve one of the most urgent safety issues in the federal capital, which will fit the general objective of the city of Islamabad to become a city that can be walked in. It will also provide a precedent on ensuring that the future infrastructure projects are balanced in terms of convenience to the vehicles and accessibility as well as safety to the people.
The erection of the pedestrian crossings on Park Road is a notable change in terms of policy used by the CDA and is indicative of a more open attitude towards pedestrian safety and open city-planning. The promised move to safer crossings will not only guarantee the safety of thousands of students and residents but also a new sense of responsibility in the way the infrastructure projects in Islamabad are planned and implemented.
