A highway constructed by changing its structure to exploit tax money?
Various statements and posts about misuse of the country's money are circulating on social media these days. However, it is essential to inquire whether this information is true and to find the credibility of such news. We at Fact Crescendo decided to check the truth of another social media post published in this way.
Social Media Posts
In a Facebook post, a photo showed a picture of a highway under construction in a curved manner. It was pointed out that if two places on this road are built directly, it can be connected by a short distance. Under this post it was stated as, “These are our tax money, they have exploited it”
When examining other social media posts related to this, it was found that this photo has been circulating on local and foreign social media from time to time for more than 6 years (2017). These notes also show why the road was built to take a detour over a long distance, when there was a shorter route.
Another such post here.
Accordingly, we decided to investigate the truth and falsity of this photograph, its relation to our country and the scientific background of such constructions.
Fact Check
We entered this photo for a reverse image search to identify the location shown in the image.
Accordingly, the location turned out to be the Raiwind flyover in Lahore, Pakistan, which was opened in April 2017. You can refer to a related article here and a social media post here.
Looking at the photos of the flyover, it is confirmed that this is the same place which was shown in the social media post.
Since 2017, there has been a debate on social media about whether there is a need to construct this flyover as a curved circular road. FB.
However, there are no flyovers or highways in Sri Lanka similar to the Raiwind flyover in Lahore.
Although a quite similar situation exists at highways, it is common practice for any country in the world to design these roads in a circular way so that vehicles can travel correctly, in each direction, without problems and without creating additional traffic on the normal traffic route. Curved roads like these at entrances to highways, in particular, contribute to diverting vehicles towards and away from the highway to major roads.
Thus, the design and planning of highway interchanges is quite a complex process. A related research report is here.
Scientific Basis for the shape of Raiwind Flyover in Pakistan
As the main reason for this shape, the experts in the field mention that this bridge was not made in a curve, but in a straight line, the slope would increase to the extent that it would be difficult and dangerous for vehicles to travel up and down. That problem will also contribute to traffic congestion on the road.
The primary purpose of the construction of this flyover is to allow a large number of trains carrying goods to pass through the railway lines beside the main road which transports a large number of vehicles daily. Due to this train there has been heavy traffic on the highway. Raiwind airport has been constructed as an alternative to avoid this situation.
Shown below is the rough nao created for this flyover.
It appears that the shape and slope of this bridge has to be kept in this way in order to avoid being hit by the train bringing goods, as well as to comply with the conventions of international flyover construction.
You can refer to more information regarding the flyover from here.
Here is an investigation of the facts conducted in 2018.
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Conclusion
It is confirmed that the bridge shown in these social media posts is not a bridge built in Sri Lanka. Accordingly this bridge appears to be the Raiwind Flyover in Lahore, Panjab, Pakistan, which was constructed in 2017. At the same time, there has been a wide discussion about this and there are reports that the government has made this construction in such a complex shape according to certain conventions.