Facilitating public: To avoid traffic mess, schools close early

Students allowed to leave one hour earlier to prevent gridlocks

LAHORE: Public and private schools close to the Turkish president’s visit route in Lahore were closed early on Thursday to avoid traffic blockades, as per the announcement by the
provincial government’s traffic plan.

Private schools in the affected areas had sent SMS texts to parents telling them that because of the visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, schools would be closed at 12:30pm and parents were instructed to pick up their children at the prescribed time.

Ahsan Tauhid, whose daughter studies at a private school, told The Express Tribune he wanted to pick up his daughter before the roads were blocked for the visiting president.

According to the traffic plan released by the traffic police, diversions were set up for commuters and vehicles on roads adjoining the Lahore Fort were to be diverted to other arteries.

Aziz Bhatti Road to Mall Road, Lower Mall Road from Punjab Civil Secretariat to Lahore Fort, Circular Road, road from Lahore Railway Station to Greater Iqbal Park would remain closed for traffic. Greater Iqbal Park, Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore Fort, and Hazuri Bagh were closed for general public.

Traffic coming to Lahore from Ravi Road was diverted to Ring Road. Vehicles going out of city from Lorry Adda and Vegetable Market could use the Ring Road.

Roads leading from Shimla Hill and Railway Station to Greater Iqbal Park remained closed and traffic was diverted to GT Road through Garhi Shahu.

Vehicles could access the Inner Circular Road from Ik Moria through Misri Shah. Outfall Road was also closed for traffic coming from Saggian Ravi Bridge. No traffic was allowed towards Lower Mall from Veterinary University and DIG Operations office.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 18^th, 2016.