Chandni Chowk flyover: Motorists urged to use alternative routes,

RAWALPINDI, Jan 15: The commuters have been urged to use alternative routes instead of Benazir Bhutto Road as traffic in huge number could not be managed due to the ongoing construction work on Chandni Chowk flyover.

City Traffic Officer (CTO) Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ghulam Abbas Tarar said people should not use the portion of the road from Benazir Bhutto Hospital to 6th Road because the major artery at both sides had been squeezed just to one lane which could not sustain the heavy rush of traffic.

He said though a comprehensive traffic plan had been devised till the completion of the flyover but, cooperation of the citizens, was necessary to avoid traffic mess mainly on Benazir Bhutto Road.

Mr Tarar said the number of traffic wardens performing their duties at the project site has been increased.

He said work on the project would be completed within the shortest possible time and all necessary arrangements for maintaining regular flow of traffic had been made to facilitate citizens, mainly motorists.

In order to mitigate the sufferings of the public and to avoid traffic mess on Benazir Bhutto Road, alternative routes had been provided to motorists to minimise load on the busiest road of the city.

Motorists should use Rehmanabad, Sadiqabad, Ali Nawaz Chowk, Rawal Road and Tipu Road via Rialto Chowk route to reach Rawalpindi from Islamabad.

Similarly, those wanting to travel towards Islamabad from Rawalpindi should use Committee Chowk underpass, Asghar Mall Chowk, Saidpur Road and 6th Road. The SSP said motorists could also use Airport Road and Peshawar Road to reach
Islamabad.

The chief traffic officer said about 73 per cent traffic load of Benazir Bhutto Road had been diverted to alternative routes till the completion of the flyover. In order to ensure smooth flow of traffic on other routes of the city, all encroachments were being removed, he said, adding that special arrangements had also been made to control traffic jams in the town.

Mr Tarar said wrong parking of vehicles on the roads was strictly being checked and negligence on part of traffic police officials would not be tolerated.

He urged citizens to cooperate with traffic police so that all traffic-related problems could be addressed properly.