Authorities urged to ease traffic congestion on city roads

Rawalpindi:The citizens have urged the authorities concerned to take solid steps to solve the problem of traffic jams on the city roads.

They called on the authorities concerned to outline a plan to solve traffic congestion in the city as frequent traffic jams on roads, including the road from Center Hospital to Marrir Chowk, Benazir Bhutto Road, Raja Bazar Road, Bank Road, Kutchery Chowk, Saidpur Road, Pirwadhai Road, Tench Bhatta Road, Chungi Road and Murree Road create problems for them.

The motorists said that they have to face inconvenience when they reach late at their destinations as traffic is not being regulated properly by the traffic wardens on several roads. Talking about traffic jam in the city, people belonging to different walks of life said several city roads have very much importance for the citizens of Rawalpindi but due to traffic jam which has become a routine matter on these roads, the citizens are suffering great.

“Due to traffic jam on Moti Bazaar, our businesses are destroying as the customers especially females do not come to the markets,” said a shopkeeper Nadeem. The encroachments by the owners of motorcycle showrooms on Circular Road and their illegal commercial activities on the road have also led to traffic jam problems in the area.

Lack of traffic signals in Raja Bazaar and other important chowks of the city are also creating traffic problems. The traffic wardens also did not perform their duties properly in several chowks, said a motorists.

The citizens said that strict checking of traffic rules violations particularly on Benazir Bhutto Road (Murree Road), Raja Bazaar, College road and other roads should be ordered. The commuters face big traffic problems on the congested Murree Road especially from Mareer chowk to Center Hospital due to heavy traffic load, traffic mismanagement and rules violations.

City Traffic Officers and traffic wardens should evolve a comprehensive strategy to meet the present challenges. Driving on the Murree Road is enough to test the nerves of commuters, Altaf, a commuter, said adding, “We daily face huge traffic mess particularly at the peak hours.’

The Committee Chowk underpass, Chandni Chowk and Sixth road flyovers on Murree Road could not help control the traffic mess mainly due to wrong parking of vehicles and other traffic rules violations.