Vehicles queues at Faizabad check post hamper traffic

Islamabad:Queues of vehicles and bikes on Thursday indicated a ‘messy’ situation, specifically in the morning peak hours, at Faizabad police check-post which apparently arose due to ‘formal’ scrutiny process, meant to curb unnecessary entry in the Federal Capital on account of precautionary steps due to COVID-19. The formal check and scrutiny is solely aimed at ensuring safety of the people, besides maintaining peace and tranquility in the city amid coronavirus emergency.

It follows the restrictions earlier imposed by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration. The people, with exemption to go to offices or for other necessary works, have called for ‘speedy’ process on over 600-meter patch of the Islamabad Expressway (Faizabad check-post) where its fast lane, out of total five, has been specified for the return of non-allowed persons/vehicles/bikes. The ICT Admin’s order, issued to restrict unnecessary movement of people in the Federal Capital in view of the COVID-19 emergency, clearly pointed out specific segments that had been given exemption from the restrictions that included officials of government departments on duly notified by respective departments/ministries, health professionals, patients, the security personnel, media persons and newspaper hawkers, and employees of public service departments.

“There is a need to dedicate a specific lane for those commuters who are exempted from traveling restrictions, imposed by the city administration,” Sabir Hussain, who travels daily on the Islamabad Highway, said.

He called for specifying a separate lane for the exempted persons. The office-goers were the persons who had to perform additional assignments due to curtailment of staff, he added.

“I am perturbed as this short-term travel agony has dampened my mood which will eventually affect the work during the entire day,” Rana Zahid, a journalist, said while narrating his ordeal he underwent for almost 20 to 30 minutes.

Zahid said he intended to reach the office at around 0900 but missed the target due to the half an hour congestion at the check-post. He also pointed out the mismanagement at the spot and said the traffic police should think out-of-the-box to ensure smooth traffic flow at the particular point.

“I do not expect any congestion at the Islamabad Expressway when there is a thin traffic,” he remarked while recalling the normal days when the commuters would have to go through a trauma after facing traffic gridlock at several points.

When contacted the Islamabad Traffic Police, a senior officer said the force would ask the Capital Development Authority to construct an emergency U-turn near the Faizabad check-post to avoid congestion.

“We are aware of the situation and making all-out efforts to ensure smooth flow of traffic on the expressway during the prevailing situation,” the ITP officer said. “The creation of emergency U-turn is the only solution to avoid the long-ques of vehicles at the picket,” he said.