Adil Najam
This is a fairly old picture which I am sure you have seen in Pakistani newspapers or recieved via emails.
The picture shows a large truck carrying a bunch of other small trucks (interestingly the small trucks are very much like the large truck, a “Mini-Me” for those who get the reference). The large truck loaded with the small truck was stacked higher than the bridge-way it was passing under, and as a result the four vehicles at the top get their tops crushed. Of course, anyone who has driven on Pakistani roads is used to seeing over-loaded vehicles (here, here). But this image is different because it shows how the changing nature of our road infrastructure is forcing people to learn some elementary lessons the hard way.
My question, however, is very different. What do yo think happened AFTER the accident. I am really curious about what might have happened. It is obvious that there was a lot of damage? Someone had to end up paying for it one way or the other? Who do you think did?
Do you think the vehicles were insured? Did the driver get into trouble? Did the loaders end up paying for this? Or did the owners of the smaller vehicles being transported? Was the passage height marked on the bridge-way? If not, did CDA in Islamabad pay?
We see tragedies happening everyday, from accidents like this to suicide bombings. The loss of life is horrendous and overwhelms everything. As it should. But the economic and development costs are also huge. Property gets damaged, business loses value, people cannot work, economies go into a slump… and who pays for all of this. Who should?
What a picture!
I think nothing would have happened. Nothing ever happens. We get tragedies and just get used to them.
Do we know if the height was posted clearly on the … in urdu and in english?
Rehan, similar accidents happen on train travel too. Especially during the eid rush between Lala Musa and Rawalpindi. During Eid rush, people travel on train roofs and the clearence on tunnels between Jhelum and Sohawa is too low for a person to be able to sit on a train roof. I do remember reading news every few years on how people lost their lives on this section while traveling on train roof.
Shakeel this damage actually happened. I remember seeing atleast 10 photos of this accident last year when it happened.
Are we sure that this damage actually happened or the truck was carrying already damaged vehicles (kabari ka saman)!