Police place barbed wire for traffic management of Chehlum procession. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD: A sit-in by Labaik Pakistan Tehreek workers on Faizabad, the main junction between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi left arteries in both cities horribly jammed, leaving commuters stranded on the roads till late in the evening.
The Islamabad Capital Territory Administration and the Rawalpindi District Administration preferred to let the rally fizzle out on its own instead of cracking down on its members and clear the roads.
As a result, people of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were turned into virtual hostages to the fringe group which has no support from the mainstream religious groups.
To make matters worse, authorities in Islamabad placed containers on key routes leading to the red zone, sealing off these thoroughfares. This effectively left hundreds of citizen trapped in a traffic nightmare, largely unaware of a traffic plan announced earlier.
The Islamabad Police had issued a traffic plan for the rally. Per the diversion plan, commuters were advised to avoid heading to Islamabad unless it was absolutely necessary. Since many residents of Pindi work in the federal capital, their commute is unavoidable.
Heavy traffic coming from Lahore was diverted from Rawat T-Cross to Rawalpindi. Similarly, traffic from Peshawar was diverted from Chungi 26 towards the Motorway.
People heading towards Faizabad were told to use alternative routes highlighted in the traffic advisory.
However, an apparent communication gap between the police and people landed commuters in a traffic snarl up amidst a sit-in rally and containers. The Islamabad Police waited till Wednesday morning to give a plan on its official social media page.
It prompted some angry messages. However, queries about diversions were promptly answered by officials on the page.
According to reports, schoolchildren, working women and people from all walks of life were stuck for hours to reach their destinations.
“Stuck for three [hours] on the road going home from the office. Kids stuck on roads going to homes from schools. Very bad management ” complained one commuter Hasnaat Ahmad Mirza.
Shoaib Ahsan, another commuter, was angry at the police’s inefficiency in dealing with a handful of protesters.
“Protest? Solution by Islamabad Police: block every road in Islamabad. Nice strategy?” he said.
“They [police] cannot handle traffic and it took three hours [to travel] from Sector F-8 to DHA Phase II, is it a joke what you are doing with the public and as government servant you are adding to the pain,” remarked an irked Nouman Akbar.
Vehicles and people caught in logjam due to rally of Labaik Pakistan Tehreek. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Chehlum route
The Islamabad Traffic Police has released a diversion plan for the Chehlum procession emerging from Sector G-6 Imambargah.
As per the advisory, the Fazle Haq Road till China Chowk will be closed for traffic. Post Office Service Road; Sadar Road from Iqbal Hall to Melody Chowk; Municipal Road from Lal Masjid to Shuhda Chowk; Luqman Hakeem Road from Polyclinic to Iqbal Hall will remain closed for general public from 8am to 8pm.
ITP has asked people to use Kulsoom Plaza to China Chowk route via Seventh Avenue through Aabpara, Suharwardy Road and Shaheed Millat Road.
According to ITP officials including SP, DSP nine inspectors and 390 personnel will be manning the procession routes.
Pindi plan
In order to ensure the security of the mourners, City Traffic Police (CTP) Rawalpindi has finalised a comprehensive traffic plan for the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) to be observed on Friday, November 10.
According to CTO Rawalpindi, Yousaf Ali Shahid 24 diversion points will be set up to regulate city traffic while six Deputy Superintendents, 10 Inspectors, 231 Warden Officers and 23 Junior Traffic Wardens would be deployed on Friday, he added.
There would be a complete ban on parking any vehicle, motorbike or handcart on the procession route.
Officials have been told to ensure parking at a distance of 200 meters from the route of the processions and all encroachment are removed.
As part of a diversion plan, the official said that roads including Committee Chowk to Iqbal Road, College Road, DAV College Chowk to Fawara Chowk, Novelty Cinema to Kashmiri Bazar, Banni Chowk to Jamia Masjid Road and Pir Choa Chowk near Qademi Imambargah would remain closed for all kind of traffic while diversions would also be in place at DAV College Chowk, City Police Station point, Shah Allah Ditta Road, Roshan Bakers point near Jamia Masjid Road, Himult on Chowk, Bansan Wala Chowk and Pir Choa Chowk.
With additional input from APP
Published in The Express Tribune, November 9th, 2017.
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