16 lanes: NHA plans toll plaza at M-1 interchange

Commuters irked by delays caused by long queues

ISLAMABAD: The National Highway Authority (NHA) is to build a 16-lane toll plaza at the Islamabad Interchange of the Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway ( M-1).

An NHA source said that the new toll plaza will be constructed at a 300-metre distance from the Fateh Jang Interchange.

The source added that a temporary toll plaza has been set-up following the segregation of M-1 and M-2 toll after the handover of M-1 to the Frontier Works Organisation.



Motorists and commuters have been demanding the construction of a modern toll plaza at the exit point of M-1 at Islamabad owing to the dearth of a toll plaza which can guarantee the smooth flow of traffic.

Zain Malik, a motorist, who travels daily from Attock to Islamabad for work said that long queues at the toll plaza cause delays at the exit of the motorway.

Malik added that the old plaza had 12 booths at its exit, in contrast, the new one has only six to eight booths.

The motorist said that now he has to leave his house at least 30 minutes ahead of time to reach his office on time.

Bilal Ahmed, a commuter, who is a resident of Attock district, said that in the past, catching a van going to Islamabad via the motorway was the best option to reach office on time now, however, coming by motorway takes more time than using the Grand Trunk Road (N-5).



Shafqat Ali, a commuter van driver, who regularly travels on the Attock-Rawalpindi route, said that making a new toll plaza was a good initiative on the part of the NHA.

It would help avoid delays and long queues at the Islamabad exit of M-1, Ali said.  

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2017.