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Monday February 10, 2025

Shahdara Chowk project resolves traffic congestion

By Ali Raza
January 23, 2025
Representational image shows commuters on a road. — AFP/ File
Representational image shows commuters on a road. — AFP/ File

LAHORE:Traffic volume exceeding 320,000 vehicles per day was using the flyover and remodeled roads at Shahdara Chowk, which was one of the main choking points of the provincial metropolis.

Shahdara Chowk is an inter-section point of National Highway N-5 (GT Road) joining with N-60 (Sheikhupura road) and acted as one of the major entrance to the city for North bound intercity traffic, especially buses and trucks destined to Lorry Adda and Sabzi Mandi.

In past daily traffic volume exceeding 300,000 vehicles per day at this point was causing severe traffic congestion during peak hours while during foggy weather season, routine traffic blockage observed upto 8 hours at night, after closure of M-2 & Eastern By-Pass. Main traffic at this junction included high percentage of HTV (22-Wheelers) while local traffic mainly comprised of Bi and Tri wheelers.

As per a recent survey, traffic volume over 320,000 vehicles was using the flyover and remodeled roads connecting Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Old Ravi Bridge and Niazi Chowk. The survey revealed that over 73,050 vehicles moved towards Gujranwala from the three sides and 85,820 vehicles towards the three sides from Gujranwala.

From Old Ravi Bridge, over 18,200 vehicles went towards Gujranwala, over 30,000 vehicles to Sheikhupura and over 20,000 vehicles to Niazi Chowk while over 65,000 vehicles moved towards Old Ravi Bridge from all the three sides.

Similarly, over 84,584 vehicles moved towards Sheikhupura from three sides while over 76,475 from Sheikhupura towards other three sides using the flyover and remodeled roads. From Niazi Chowk over 96,444 vehicles moved towards Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Old Ravi Bridge while from these three sides over 98,162 vehicles moved towards Niazi Chowk.

A senior LDA officer Faisal Shafique who was involved in the construction of Shahdara Chowk project said since its construction the issue of long hours traffic jams was resolved. He said the local population living around the Ravi Bridge, which mostly belonged to low income group also benefited from the project for travel upto Metro Bus Terminal and Niazi Chowk.

Another major problem being faced at the junction was its narrow width and haphazard pedestrian movement due to lack of integrated pedestrian path, he said, adding presence of wagon stand right on the junction, absence of dedicated lanes for left or right turning movements and presence of tehsil courts were other issues which made this junction a classic marvel of long hour traffic jams.

The project, despite all odds, was completed in a record time of six months by the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) with a cost of Rs4.5 billion, Faisal said.

The main objectives behind conceiving the project included improvement of traffic flow and to minimise the public inconvenience at large and for improving the socio-economic growth of Shahdra locality. The project also improved the environmental condition by reducing the Carbon Emissions at Shahdara Chowk, he maintained.

Talking about the project benefits, he said as per LDA’s estimates annual fuel savings of vehicles using this project was around Rs891.9 million and annual travel time savings if calculated in rupees was around Rs 260.98 million.

What made the project unique among the other mega projects was a number of complex and challenging tasks, ever faced at any project in Lahore, said Hammad, the project director while talking to The News. He said almost 33 Kanal Land Acquisition was saved through justified improvements in Engineering Design with considerable savings in financial impact.

Since Day First to Completion time, Main G.T Road & Sheikupura Highway Traffic flow at Shahdara Chowk never stopped even for a while and even the piles and other construction activities were executed while ensuring the traffic flow in parallel, he said, adding uninterrupted water supply and uninterrupted sewerage flow were ensured to densely populated areas of Shahdara locality.