Rain throws traffic out of gear

Islamabad :Though intermittently, rain lashed Islamabad and Rawalpindi for the second consecutive day on Wednesday throwing traffic out of gear.

The sit-in staged by religious groups at Faizabad intersection and blockade of nearby roads by the traffic police also contributed to the traffic mess, mostly seen in Rawalpindi and Islamabad's areas bordering it.

Traffic moved at a snail's pace on major roads, especially in Rawalpindi, in the morning, afternoon and evening, the school and office opening and closing time, respectively. Many roads and streets, especially in low-lying areas, faced water-logging.  The rainstorm uprooted trees and pulled down walls and signboards at many places. However, no damage to public life or property was reported.

Many motorcyclists were seen pull over under trees and bridges for cover, while many automobiles broke down on waterlogged roads and thus, causing traffic jams. There're tailbacks at many places with the traffic cops struggling to regulate the movement of vehicles.  Things were the worst at the arteries near Faizabad intersection. Amid honking of horns by others, some motorists entered wrong lanes in order to make their way through traffic to destinations and thus, worsening the gridlock.

Many blamed the situation on the mismanagement of the traffic police, while some maintained that a good number of motorists didn’t have road sense, while others didn’t use it especially during rush hours.

There were also complaints about traffic lights going out of order at major intersections during rainy days.  The road users demanded that the traffic police come up with a comprehensive strategy to prevent mess on the roads during rainy days.

At the same time, they said if the traffic department was understaffed, then the government should induct cops there in adequate numbers to efficiently manage traffic on the city roads.  The road users also criticised the civic authorities for faulty drainage system, especially for roads, saying there’re traffic mess whenever it rained.  They also complained of potholed roads and faulty traffic lights.

However, as the long-awaited rain turned the weather pleasant, families turned to parks and recreational spots, including Pir Sohawa, Daman-e-Koh, Lake View Park, Fatima Jinnah Park, Shakarparian, Shahdara, Chattar, Jinnah Park and Nawaz Sharif Park, in large numbers.

High sales of snacks like ‘samosas’ and ‘pakoras’ were also reported.   Recording 12 and eight millimetres rain in Islamabad and Rawalpindi respectively, the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast more rainfall in the next 48 hours.