Professional Documents
Culture Documents
3.1. Roads:................................................................................................... 17
3.2. Road Types of Rawalakot AJ&K: ......................................................... 17
3.2.1. Metaled Roads: ............................................................................... 18
3.2.2. Fair Weather Roads: ....................................................................... 18
3.2.3. Jeep able Tracks: ............................................................................ 19
Chapter 4 .............................................................................................................................................. 20
Passenger / Traffic Flow of Public Transport Services ........................................................................ 20
ii
iii
Chapter 1
Transport Services
1.1.
Introduction:
All the activities happening on the face of earth are interconnected and woven like
a spider web and humans are in the center of that web. The human life activities, from
subsistence to commercial, are a combination of the economic activities. An economic
activity is a set of actions that involve the production, distribution and consumption of
goods and services at all levels within a society. In all the three sets of action i.e.
production, distribution and consumption, movement of materials, raw or finished, and of
the people involved in all the three steps is required. These movements of people, goods
and information have always been fundamental components of human societies. These
movements are taking place since the establishment of human civilizations. In the ancient
sdays these were solely on foot, time passes on and animals became a mode of facilitating
these movements. Then came the invention of wheel and everything was revolutionized,
movements become much faster and specific modes of transportation came in to being.
Transportation can be defined as a system for moving goods and passengers from
one place to another. It can also be defined as the movement of people and commodities
from points of origin, over fixed routes, to the points of destination. These movements
generate spatial and temporal variations of temporary and or permanent nature; hence
become a part of geographic studies. These variations caused due to the mobility of
goods and human beings constitute the branch of geography known as Transportation
Geography or Geography of Transport.
Page 1 of 50
1.2.
Transportation Geography:
A branch of economic geography that studies the spatial distribution and pattern
1.3.
Transportation Services:
Material, man, machine etc. is shifting from one location point to another location
1.4.
Communication:
Transfer of information between people located at various geographical points is
known as communication.
Page 2 of 50
1.5.
Communication Networks:
A communication network is a set of devices (often referred to as nodes)
1.6.
Types of Communication:
There are two types of communication:
1.7.
Modes of Transportation:
There are four modes of transportation:
1.7.1. Roads:
A wide way leading from one place to another, especially one with a specially
prepared surface which vehicles can use
1.7.2. Rail:
A track made of steel rails along which trains run.
1.7.3. Water:
Water transportation is the movement of cargo or passengers through or across
bodies of water. This can involve ships, ferries, cruise ships, submarines and other waterborne crafts as they travel through oceans, lakes, rivers and other waterways.
Page 3 of 50
1.7.4. Air:
Movement of passengers and cargo by aircrafts such as air planes and helicopter
from one place to another is called air transport.
1.8.
Types of Roads:
There are following types of roads:
1.9.
Purpose of Study:
Survey report was conducted from 21 st to 25th of June 2014, by students of M.Sc.
Geography final year in the city of Rawalakot. The purpose of this survey was to study
different aspects of transportation in this particular area.
First and major objective this report is to train the students for collecting,
presenting and analyzing the collected information.
To improve the writing skills and use of latest technologies and methods
for research work.
1.11. Methodology:
Methodology is the systematic, theoretical analysis of the methods applied to a
field of study.
Methodology is the name given to set of rules and regulation applied to research
work to obtain information.
Page 5 of 50
collected from all points of origin of transport services. Sampling method was adopted
for the second part regarding passengers opinion. Data was collected randomly by
surveyor.
1.11.5. Primary data collection:
Primary data was collected through questionnaire and dialogue with the
transporters and passengers.
1.11.6. Secondary data:
Secondary data was collected from secondary and published sources.
1.11.7. Processing and presentation of data:
The raw data was compiled, tabulated, analyzed and represented by statistical
diagrams and maps to conclude results and present them in the form of a report to achieve
the objectives of this survey project.
Linguistic problem was the major hurdle that we faced during the collection of
information.
Although we asked close ended questions people gave open ended answer which
caused difficulty for us to choose the accurate option of their choice.
Page 8 of 50
Chapter 2
The Study Area: Rawalakot
2.1.
Study Area:
The area that we selected to conduct the study for compiling this report was
Rawalakot city. Rawalakot is a town in Azad Kashmir, and is the district headquarters of
Poonch Division and Poonch District. It is in a beautiful valley surrounded by hills. This
area was selected because it is the main hub of almost all the economic activity in this
region and almost all roads that connect it to other areas pass through Rawalakot. An
interesting feature of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is that it is stretched from North to South
in a narrow strip and all the districts are piled one upon other in such a fashion that a
whole district fits in the width of the region. Rawalakot in this arrangement of the
districts is situated in the center of the region and if one has to move from North to south
or vice versa must have to pass through Rawalakot. This arrangement makes it a very
important transport node in this region. The other purpose of its selection was the
diversity and conspicuous nature of its roads network that attracted us. Roads network of
Rawalakot is a typical mountainous road network, narrow roads winding in the valleys
along the mountain slopes taking narrow hairpin turns are connecting most of the hilly
settlements of the region providing them with a mode of mobility and transport.
2.2.
Location:
Rawalakot is located at Latitude 3351'32.18"N, Longitude 73 45'34.93"E and
Satiyan respectively. It is also linked with Rawalpindi via Sudhnuti. Total area of
Rawalakot is 1,010 km2 (390 sq. mi).
Page 10 of 50
2.3.
History:
District Rawalakot or named as Poonch (or Punch) popularly known as mini
Kashmir takes its name from the city of Rawalakot the headquarters of the Raja of
Poonch before 1947, which is now in the occupied part of the state of Jammu and
Kashmir. The present headquarters of the district is Rawalakot city.
2.4.
Topography:
The mountains and hills dominate the topography of the whole Kashmir. General
relief of Rawalakot is also dominated by the mountainous terrain surrounding the city of
Rawalakot which is situated in the middle of a saucer shaped valley. Maximum height
around Rawalakot is about 2100 meters above the mean sea level the highest peak in the
region is Tolipeer situated in the North East of Rawalakot.
Page 11 of 50
Page 12 of 50
2.5.
Climate:
Rawalakot features a subtropical highland climate (Cwa) under the Kppen
climate classification due to high altitude. Rawalakot has mild to warm temperatures
during the spring and autumn, humid temperatures during summer and cold to snowy
during the winter. The temperature can rise as high as 38 C (100 F) during the midsummer months and drop below 3 C (27 F) during the winter months. Snowfall can
occur in December and January, while most rainfall occurs during the monsoon season
stretching from July to September.
Table2.1. Climate of Rawalakot
Month
Temperature
Record Low
Temp
Rain fall
January
25.6
-2.6
24.9
February
32.9
30.8
March
34.4
2.8
31.2
April
41
3.3
20.1
May
45
10
14.4
June
46.6
13
44.1
July
43.2
12
112.8
August
40
12.7
136.3
September
39.4
13
43.8
October
39.9
1.9
15.7
November
33.3
14.5
December
28.9
-3.3
19.1
Page 13 of 50
Climate of Rawalakot
December
November
October
January
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
-20
February
March
April
September
May
August
June
July
Temperature
Page 14 of 50
Rain fall
Quite a contrast between the seasons exists in Rawalakot, winters can be snowy
and summers and springs are quite green and pleasant.
2.6.
Vegetation:
A variety of vegetation is found in Jandali, although vegetation cover is not so
thick. The main vegetation belongs to Sub-Tropical Pine. Also white Oak is found in this
area. The shrubs vegetation also dominates.
2.7.
Fauna:
Fauna is not rich because there is no thick vegetation cover and population of its
area has cut down the forest. Many species of birds are recorded. In mammals Jackals
and Porcupines are quite common.
2.8.
DEMOGRAPHY:
According to the census of 1998 the population of area was 371,000 and density
was 970 per square miles. Current estimates show that about 500,000 is the population of
Rawalakot District now.
Page 15 of 50
2.9.
Transport:
Page 16 of 50
Chapter 3
Road Types of Rawalakot AJ&K
3.1.
Roads:
A road is a route, or way on land between two places, which has been paved or
otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, such as a horse, cart, or motor
vehicles. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways. Roads that are available for
use by the public may be referred to as public roads or highways.
3.2.
Total
Road Density
Width of
length
(Km. /Sq.
Road
(km)
Km.)
Meters
Metaled road
891
.882
PWD A J & K
1127
1.12
PWD A J & K
100
.099
Local Government
Rawalakot
Type of Road
Page 17 of 50
Constructed by
only problem with these roads is that during the snowy winters and rainy months
traveling on these roads becomes extremely difficult. According to the data provided by
the high way circle Rawalakot length of the fair weather roads is 1127 Kilometers. Road
density of this class of roads is 1.12 kilometers for every Square kilometer area of the
district. Roads of this class are 3 to 4 meters in width.
3.2.3. Jeep able Tracks:
Rawalakot is a mountainous district and settlements are scattered on the hill
slopes as is the case of typical mountainous areas. Most of the settlements are scattered
type with houses spread over a larger area. Most of the houses are connected to the roads
through foot tracks, but if a certain number of houses are placed close enough than the
district government and private donor agencies collectively manage a narrow stony track
to connect that settlement to a link road. In most of the cases only jeeps or four wheel
vehicles can travel on these roads. These roads are called jeep able tracks, according to
the Data provided by the Roads department length of these roads is amazingly short.
Only 100 kilometer of jeep able tracks are present in the district with a width of less than
3 meters and density of jeep able tracks is .099 Kilometer for every square kilometer of
the area of the district.
Rawalakot district has shown a considerable development in the roads
infrastructure post 2005 earth quake. According to the 1998 census there were only 622
kilometers of roads out of which 322 Km were metaled and 300 kilometers un metaled
roads. Before 2005 earth quake there were 770.39 kilometers of roads of different types.
Now in 2014 there are about 2118 kilometers of different types of roads, most of which
are constructed in the post-earth quake reconstruction activities after 2005.
Page 19 of 50
Chapter 4
Passenger / Traffic Flow of Public Transport Services
The most important function of any road networks is to facilitate the passenger
and traffic flows. The efficient the network better is the flow of passengers and traffic.
Road networks can be built for specific purposes some are the carriage ways to facilitate
the heavier goods transport only while others are solely meant for passenger mobility.
There are road networks which are used for both passenger and good transport
movements. In the current study our focus is only passenger and traffic flows.
4.1.
be categorized as follows;
4.2.
passenger travel daily within this city. The survey team selected almost all the important
destinations in different directions with in the city to calculate the flow of passengers and
traffic. .
4.2.1. Number and Types of Vehicles Moving Within City:
The number and types of vehicles available for travelling within the Rawalakot
city are listed in the following table;
Table4.1: Number and Types of Vehicles Moving within Rawalakot City
Types of vehicles
Seating capacity
No. of vehicles
Percentage
Suzuki
12
165
87.76
Hiace
18
1.59
Jeep
10
20
10.65
188
100
Total
From the above table it is clear that Suzuki vans with percentage of 87.76 are
dominant source of movement within the city followed by jeep and Hiace. The reason
might be the distance and small number of passengers who travel around in the city for
daily life routine.
Jeep
11%
Suzuki
88%
Suzuki
Hiace
Page 21 of 50
Jeep
4.2.2. Number and Types of Vehicles Moving within City to Specific Destinations:
The following table shows the number and type of vehicles moving to specific
destination within Rawalakot city.
Table4.2: Vehicles Moving to Specific Destinations
Types Of Vehicles
Trips / Day
Destination
Distance
Km
Fare
Rs.
No Of
Vehicles
Suzuki
Hiace
Jeep
Suzuki
Hiace
Jeep
Thandi Kassi
20
30
30
Kharik
20
35
35
Moti al Maira
30
40
20
20
Chek Bazar
25
80
80
Gali Bazar
30
188
165
20
Total
The above table shows that a total of 188 vehicles provide services of passenger
movement within the city and Suzuki van is the dominant source of movement. About
165 Suzuki vans move around in the city providing services up to a distance of 7
kilometers. Maximum number of Suzuki vans (80) made two trips daily to Chek Bazar
which is a popular destination due to the residential scheme area, presence of University
campuses and certain Government offices.
Page 22 of 50
Number of Vehicles
Kharik
Moti al Maira
Destinations
Suzuki
Hiace
Check Bazar
Gali Bazar
Jeep
Destination
Distanc
e Km
No Of
Vehicles
Estimated No. Of
Passengers
Percentage
Thandi Kassi
30
1440
17.42
Moti Al Maira
40
1200
14.51
Kharik
35
1680
20.32
Chek Bazar
80
3840
46.44
Gali Bazar
108
1.31
188
8268
100
Total
Page 23 of 50
45
40
35
30
25
20.32
20
17.42
15
14.51
10
5
1.31
0
Thandi Kassi
Motial Maira
Kharik
Chek Bazar
Destinations within the city area
Distance Km
Gali Bazar
Percentage of Passengers
Above table and diagram shows the passenger movement to and from the
destinations within the city of Rawalakot. Thandi Kassi is the nearest and Gali Bazar the
farthest of the destination. Chek Bazar appears to be the most popular destination with
46.44 % of the daily travelers moving from or through Rawalakot due to the reasons
already mentioned above
4.3.
Page 24 of 50
Destination
Distance
Km
Fare
Rs.
No Of
Vehicles
Types Of Vehicles
Trips / Day
Hiace
Jeep/Ford
Hiace
Jeep/Ford
Topa
10
40
20
20
Datot
10
70
23
23
Shujahabad
12
50
10
10
Naka bazar
12
40
Sangola
13
55
16
16
Damni
15
40
12
12
Horna mera
15
60
19
19
Khaigala
17
40
15
15
Panioula
17
60
40
40
Koutaira Dohongli
20
70
Harola
20
70
Bun Behak
20
100
10
10
Jandali
20
80
12
12
Chotagala
20
60
22
22
Dheri
20
60
22
22
Bairi
23
70
Sanjhot
23
70
14
14
Hajeera
24
80
30
15
15
Khara Butt
25
80
Ali Sojal
25
130
Chitra Topi
30
100
10
10
Thorar
30
80
13
13
Irja
30
100
50
50
30
100
Numble
35
100
12
12
Mang
35
100
Tian Dhalkot
35
130
Tararkhal
40
120
10
10
Abbaspur
74
180
15
15
Page 25 of 50
Page 26 of 50
Destination
Distance In Km
No Of Vehicles
percentage
Topa
10
20
1680
9.2
Datot
10
23
828
4.5
Shujahabad
12
10
360
1.95
Naka bazar
12
288
1.55
Sangola
13
16
576
3.15
Damni
15
12
864
4.7
Horna mera
15
19
684
3.75
Khaigala
17
15
1260
6.9
Panioula
17
40
1440
7.88
Koutaira Dohongli
20
216
1.15
Haroli
20
288
1.55
Bun bag
20
10
360
1.95
Jandali
20
12
864
4.7
Chotagala
20
22
616
3.35
Dheri
20
22
792
4.33
Bairi
23
168
0.95
Sanjhot
23
14
392
2.15
Hajeera
24
30
1920
10.5
Khara Butt
25
144
0.75
Ali Sojal
25
72
0.4
Chitra Topi
30
10
360
1.95
Thorar
30
13
468
2.55
Irja
30
50
1800
9.85
30
324
1.77
Numble
35
12
432
2.35
Mang
35
108
0.6
Tian Dhalkot
35
128
0.7
Tararkhal
40
10
280
1.5
Abbaspur
74
15
540
2.95
18252
100
Total
Page 27 of 50
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Topa
Datot
Shujahabad
Naka bazar
Sangola
Damni
Horna mera
Khaigala
Panioula
Koutaira Dohongli
Harola
Bun bag
Jandali
Chotagala
Dheri
Bairi
Sanjhot
Hajeera
Khara Butt
Ali Sojal
Chitra Topi
Thorar
Irja
Galla Mali Khan
Numble
Mang
Tian Dhalkot
Tararkhal
Abbaspur
Important Destinations
percentage
Distance In Km
No direct correlation between the distance from point of origin and the passenger
flow can be indicated in this graph. The reason might be the nature of the terrain over
which the passenger flow is taking place. It is a mountainous area and certain destinations
are more important than others, it can be seen that the destinations located within a radius
Page 28 of 50
Type of vehicles
Seating capacity
No. of vehicles
Hiace
18
341
78.29
Ford
14
103
21.71
444
100
Total
Percentage
The above table revels that two types of vehicles are popular source of travelling
with in the district. Ford wagon / jeep are used mostly for shorter distances and Hiace van
is used for comparatively longer distances. Out of the total vehicles used to travel within
the district 78.29 % are Hiace vans and the rest are Ford Wagons and jeeps.
Page 29 of 50
Number of vehicles
Ford
21.71%
Hiace
78.29%
Hiace
Ford
4.4.
divided in to 8 districts. Different functions of the state are located in different districts.
Muzaffarabad is the state capital supreme court and other central offices are seated in
Muzaffarabad, Education Board is located in Mirpur similarly campuses of University of
Azad Jammu & Kashmir are also located in different districts. Similarly relations might
have been spread all over the state so people have to move from one district to other.
It looks strange that from Rawalakot district direct transportation to only three
districts Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Kotli is available, to move to other districts specially to
southern ones people of Rawalakot first move to either Rawalpindi or to Kotli and then to
other districts. Reasons are quite obvious long mountain journey consumes much time
and energy hence becomes tiring, so people prefer break journey to save time and energy.
Page 30 of 50
Destination
Distance
Fare
Km
Rs.
Types Of
Vehicles
No Of
Vehicles
Coach
Trips / Day
Hiace
Coach
Hiace
Bagh
40
120
29
29
Kotli
105
230
Muzaffarabad
110
260
15
15
4.4.2. Daily Passenger Flow from Rawalakot District to Other Districts of AJ&K:
Passenger flow can be estimated by multiplying number and types of vehicles
with their seating capacity and trips per day.
Table4.8: Daily Passenger Flow from Rawalakot District to Other Districts of AJ&K
Destination
Distance
Km
No Of
Vehicles
Estimated No. Of
passengers
Percentage
Bagh
40
29
1044
60.55
Kotli
105
140
8.1
Muzaffarabad
110
15
540
31.35
Total
46
1724
100
According to above table about 1724 persons move daily on 46 vehicles of public
transport system from Rawalakot district to other district of AJK. 60.55% passengers
move between Bagh and Rawalakot, 8.1% between Kotli and Rawalakot and 31.35 %
between Rawalakot and Muzaffarabad.
Page 31 of 50
120
100
80
60.55
60
31.35
40
20
8.1
0
Bagh
Kotli
Muzaffarabad
Destinations
Distance Km
% Passenger Flow
Figure4.04: Daily Passenger Flow from Rawalakot District to Other Districts of AJ&K
Types of vehicles
Seating capacity
No. of vehicles
percentage
Coach
34
4.35
Hiace
18
44
95.65
46
100
Total
4.5.
people of Pakistan at the same time a large number of Rawalakot people possess houses
and businesses in Rawalpindi, Rawalakot has become a popular traveling route. Due to
construction of the Ghazi-i-Millat road (also known as Guoien Nalla road ) between
Page 32 of 50
Rawalakot and Azad Pattan has considerably reduced travel times and make easy to
move one place to another, it is main road which is connecting Islamabad/Rawalpindi
with Rawalakot city. This road is also used for travelling to other parts of Pakistan
through Rawalpindi.
4.5.1. Vehicles Moving Daily from Rawalakot to Pakistan:
The details of vehicles which are moving daily from Rawalakot to Pakistan are as
under.
Table4.10: Vehicles Moving Daily from Rawalakot to Pakistan
Distance
Km
Fare
Rawalpindi
105
Lahore
410
Destination
Types Of Vehicles
No Of
Vehicles
Coaster
250
65
15
40
650
Rs
Trips / Day
Hiace Bus
Coaster
Hiace
Bus
10
Destination
Distance
Km
No. Of Vehicles
Estimated No. of
passenger
percentage
Rawalpindi
105
65
3490
87.95
Lahore
410
208
12.05
67
3698
100
Total
From the above table, it is estimated that about 3698 passenger move daily
between Rawalakot to Pakistan. Out of these passengers 87.95 percent move to between
Rawalpindi and Rawalakot and only 12.05 percent between Rawalakot and Lahore.
Page 33 of 50
Distance in Km
87.95
12.05
Rawalpindi
Lahore
Destinations in Pakistan
Distance Km
% Passenger Flow
Types of vehicles
Seating capacity
No. of vehicles
Percentage
Coaster
34
15
22.38
Hiace
18
40
59.70
Bus
52
12
17.92
67
100
Total
Page 34 of 50
17.92%
Hiace
Bus
22.38%
59.7%
Page 35 of 50
Chapter 5
Passenger Perception about Transport Services in
Rawalakot
The second part of the survey comprised of passengers opinion and perception
about travelling conditions. Passengers opinion or perception is the most important
factor to rate a journey pleasant or rough.
Question of this part of this survey were asked from passengers through a direct
dialogue between the passengers and the members of survey team. These questions are as
following:
Purpose of travel
5.1.
Purpose of travel:
Most of the journeys are conducted for one or other purpose, Table shows the
frequency of travel and number of passenger with the purpose of travel. Most of the daily
Page 36 of 50
travelers are students and employee with the percentage of 15 and 23 respectively.
Weekly travelers travel for leisure and shopping. Monthly travelers travel for sake of
health facilities and meeting with the relatives. Occasional travelers mostly travel for
leisure, health facilities, shopping and meeting with the relatives.
Table5.1: Purpose of Travel
Frequency of
Travel
Number Of
Passengers
Daily
Hospital
Leisure
Students
Meeting
Jobs
Shopping
38
15
23
Weekly
Monthly
18
Occasionally
35
10
Purpose of Travel
Number of Travelrs
25
20
15
10
5
0
Medical
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
Jobs
Shoping
Occassionaly
Number of Travelrs
Daily
Medical
Leisure
Weekly
Education
Monthly
Meeting
Page 37 of 50
Occassionaly
Jobs
Shoping
5.2.
distances frequently, out of our respondents, 12 were daily and only 4 were occasional
travelers of a distance less than 5 kilometers. As the distance increases frequency of
travel decreases as we can observe that travel frequency for the distance of 5-10
kilometers is almost evenly divided among the frequency groups, but for the distances of
11-16 and more <16 kilometers occasional travelers are greater in number compared to
daily and weekly travelers.
Table5.2: Frequency of Travel According to Distance
>5
5_10
11_16
<16
Daily
12
15
Weekly
Monthly
10
Occasionally
12
13
Number of Passengers
>5
5_10
11_16
Weekly
Monthly
Page 38 of 50
Occasionally
<16
5.3.
direct dialogue it was found out that the respondents belong to different age and
occupational groups as well. Initially the whole lot of respondents was analyzed
according to age groups and their respective occupational groups. Following table shows
that most of the respondents belong to the age group of 16 to 35 years old in all the
occupational categories except retired. Maximum travelers were students who use to
travel to and from Rawalakot for education on daily basis. The data of respondents was
then broken down on the gender basis to analyze that how many women travelers are
travelling on the public transport system to participate in the daily life and economic
activities of the region.
Table5.3: Age Specific Groups of travelers
Male/Female
Age
Group
Business
Govt.
Employee
Labor
Student
Housewife
Retired
66
16-35
10
15
27
10
28
36-55
12
56-75
25
20
15
10
5
0
16-35
Business Men
36-55
Govt Employees
Labour
Page 39 of 50
56-75
Student
Housewife
Retired
Number of Travelers
30
25
20
15
16-35
10
36-55
56-75
0
Business
Govt.
Men
Employees
Labour
Student
Housewife
Retired
Categories of Travelrs
5.4.
and female respondent categories and following results emerged. In 16-35 age group
male are mostly labors and students, in age group from 36-55 males are mostly
government employee and labors and in age group from 56-75 males are mostly retired
government employees
Table5.4: Occupational Groups of Male Travelers
Male
Age
Group
Business
Government
Employee
Labor
Students
Retired
36
16_35
15
12
19
36_55
10
56_75
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14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
16_35
36_55
56_75
36
19
Age groups and Number of Passengers in each group
Business
Govt Employee
Labour
Students
Retired
5.5.
in the age group from 36-55 females are housewives and government employee and in
age group from 56-75 females are mostly housewives travelling for shopping and daily
life routine activities
Table5.5. Occupational Group of Female Travelers
Female
Age
Group
Business
Government
Employee
30
16_35
15
10
36_55
56_75
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Student Housewife
Retired
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
16_35
30
36_55
56_75
9
2
Age Groups and Number of Passengers in wach Group
Business
Govt Employee
Student
Housewife
Retired
5.6.
about the travel. If a traveler is satisfied with the traveling conditions he or she will travel
more frequently using the same mode and rout of transport and vice versa if not satisfied.
To judge the perception of the travelers about their experiences of the journey their
responses were recorded about their satisfaction level about different aspects of the
traveling conditions.
Table 5.6: Passenger Satisfaction Level
Passengers Satisfaction
yes
No
Don't Know
To Some Extent
Roads
62
23
Vehicles
32
30
30
Security
55
15
17
13
17
20
17
46
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70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Roads
yes
Vehicles
No
Don't Know
Security
Overall Travelling
Facilities
To Some Extent
5.7.
that traffic police system exists in Rawalakot, but the main question was about the
establishment of this system on the highways outside the city limits. Most of the travelers
accepted the idea.
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Opinion
5.8.
Percentage
Yes
74
Dontknow
16
No
10
road accident cases an untrained driver is mainly the cause of accident. To know about
the perception of travelers traveling in very difficult hilly terrain about the driving
standards, the question was asked about the need of trained drivers to drive the vehicles.
91 % of the passengers felt that drivers should be trained according to the road terrain
conditions. 6 % passengers replied that there is no need of training for drivers of this area
because they are drivers by birth. Anyhow trained and properly licensed drivers are a
must for road safety.
Table5.8: Need of Trained Drivers
Opinion
Percentage
Yes
91
No need
Dontknow
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91%
Yes
No need
Dontknow
5.9.
you rank your journey pleasant or unpleasant. 68% respondents accused the bad road
conditions responsible for an unpleasant and unsafe journey. Vehicles are fit and
satisfactory only 14% of the passengers complained about the vehicles, 6% passengers
thought that law and order conditions may render your journey unpleasant. 12 %
passengers accused the behavior of the transporters as the main cause of unpleasant
journey.
Table5.9: Reason for uncomfortable journey
Reasons
Percentage
Bad roads
68
Old Vehicles
14
Behavior of Transporters
12
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70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Bad roads
Old Vehicles
Behavior of
Transporters
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Suggestions
Percentage
Better Roads
83
Transportation System
Speed Limit
Better Roads
Presence Of Traffic Police
Transportation System
Speed Limit
s
Figure 5.11: Suggestion for Comfortable and Secure Journey
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Chapter 6
Conclusion
The work on this field report has completed and all the objectives according to the
purpose of this study achieved. The main purpose of the study was the training of the
students of M.Sc. Geography to apply the skills we have learned in the class room in to
the real life drama. To interact with the practicalities of the field work and to tackle the
hurdles and limitations which one might face during such surveys directly dealing with
the public about the public problems.
This study was basically about the working of transport network of a mountainous
district of AJ&K the Rawalakot. The main focus of the report was Rawalakot city as a
nodal point in the transport network of the district. Rawalakot city as a point of origin and
destination is the focal point of the transport network of the district. All the major
network connections within the district, to other districts of AJ&K and to Pakistan start
from the Rawalakot city.
Hundreds of vehicles and no doubt thousands of passengers daily traverse across
the district Poonch (Rawalakot) and at one point or the other these passengers have to go
through Rawalakot city. From Rawalakot city mainly four routes emerge following the
cardinal directions. Towards North a road leads to Sangola and from there to Bagh,
another Northward route is Rawalakot-Mohri Farman Shah-Shuja Abad-Bagh. The road
leading West wards in known as Tain Dhalkot road which connects Rawalakot with
Pakistan through Kohala crossing point over the river Jhelum, Midway on this road is
situated Irja diversion from where a road leads to Bagh and to Muzaffarabad through
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Bagh. From Rawalakot South wards a newly constructed road Ghazi-a-Millat road
connects the district with Pakistan through Gouin Nalla valley. This road is also known
as Gouin Nalla Road it is comparatively newly constructed and in good shape, provides
the shortest connection between Rawalakot and Rawalpindi. The same road also provides
connectivity with the Plandari (Sidhnoti) district of AJ&K. The road leading East from
the Rawalakot city is the main connecting road which connects Rawalakot Tehsil with
Abbaspur and Hajeera Tehsils of the Poonch District. This road runs through Khaigala a
famous nodal point in the transport network of the Rawalakot district. From Khaigala
roads lead to Abbasspur through Ali Sojal and to Hajeera through Chotta Gala and the
famous Banjosa Lake. In turn Abbaspur and Hajeera serve as other important nodal
points for onwards transmission of passengers to other remote parts of the Poonch
District. From Hajeera a crossing point to India at Tetri Note has now become
dysfunctional which once was a point of international cross border movements.
From Rawalakot city most of the road network development is seen towards the
West and Northwest because most of the population of the Rawalakot subdivision is
concentrated in this area in major settlements like Mujahidabad (), Horna Mera (
), Bairi ) (, Harola )(, Pachiot )(, Datot )(, Panioula )(, Jandathi )(,
Bangouin )(, Tain Dhalkot ) (and many others. The road network of the area is
efficient in the terms that it is quite capable of handling the volume of traffic and
passengers produced in this region. On some of the roads in the area one might not
encounter any public transport vehicle throughout the day but private vehicles owned by
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the well to do local residents. Road sides are quite scenic and provide a very serene view
to the tourists.
It is also a fact that most of the roads are deteriorating and badly need
maintenance. It is said about the mountainous areas that roads are comparatively easy to
construct than maintain. In mountainous areas with a snowy and a rainy season
maintaining the roads after these two seasons is mandatory, every now and then land
sliding may occur washing away the road so a continuous watch on the roads and
maintenance is always going on in this region also.
Most of the passengers we encountered during this survey were not satisfied with
the road conditions and were in the opinion of further improvement of roads,
establishment of highway police system, a better training system for drivers, systematic
operation of the vehicles was another demand of the passengers. At present vehicles are
operating from 5 different terminals for different areas of the district, these all terminals
can be combined in one place to facilitate the passengers. An effort was made by the
municipal government of Rawalakot city by constructing the Municipal Terminal ( )
but it is now used only by the vehicle repair mechanics and public transport vehicles still
useprivateterminalssituatedinthecityscommercialandresidentialarea.
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