This year’s first rainfall leaves traffic chaotic

Islamabad

Islooites woke up to heavy downpour on Tuesday morning. The year’s first rainfall, which lasted for hours further brought down the mercury, creating traffic problems on many roads.

Tailbacks were everywhere with the traffic cops struggling to regulate the movement of vehicles.

Things were the worst at the arteries which are under construction or where work on bridges is under way.

“Islamabad is the beautiful and it gets even more beautiful when it rains. However, there’s a flipside to it: roads become messy during and after heavy downpour,” said a motorist, Jamal Khan, after he passed by the Peshawar Morr Interchange, which has long been under construction.

Muhammad Adeel was frustrated after his car broke down on the flooded Margalla Road.

He criticised Capital Development Authority (CDA) for faulty drainage system in the city especially for roads and said he saw traffic mess whenever it rained no matter whether it was heavy or light.  He also complained about potholed roads and faulty traffic lights, which, he said, were also to blame for the misery of the people during rainy weather.

According to Muzzamil Hussain of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, 25 millimeters of rain was recorded in the capital city until evening.  Thirty-three millimeters of rain was recorded at Zero Point, 24 at Golra and 22 at Saidpur.

The adjoining Rawalpindi city also received heavy downpour with Shamsabad reporting 39 millimeters and Chaklala 33.  For today (Wednesday), the weatherman forecast cloudy weather in the twin cities suggesting lower temperatures.  He however insisted rain won’t fall in the day.  The rainfall also prompted high sales of fried snacks, especially ‘samosas’ and ‘pakoras’.