Police finalise traffic plan for Saudi crown prince’s visit

Red zone will be completely closed for traffic, vehicles from K-P and Punjab will not be allowed to enter Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The traffic police in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have issued traffic plans for the arrival of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman to ensure public mobility.

Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Farrukh Rashid on Friday said the visit of the high-powered royal delegation was of great significance to the county and that the "people are requested to exhibit patience to make it a complete success."

Rashid said that law enforcement agencies have been tasked with making security arrangements in the city while the ITP was mandated to regulate the city's traffic during the visit.

The SSP said during the visit, inter-provincial traffic coming from Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will not be allowed to enter Islamabad from early morning to late in the night.

Citizens intending to commute within the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi during these days were advised to use Ninth Avenue.

Those who want to travel to the new Islamabad International Airport were advised to use the Kashmir Highway and Ninth Avenue with all connected minor roads remaining open.

Commuters heading to Murree were advised to follow ITP's traffic advisory which will be released after every hour on the traffic police’s FM Radio Channel.

Heavy traffic coming to Islamabad from Lahore will be diverted from Rawat T-Cross. From there, they may use Peshawar Grand Trunk (GT) Road and the Motorway after passing through Sawan Garden, Kutchery Chowk and Saddar.

Furthermore, heavy traffic from Kak Bridge heading towards Koral Chowk or Islamabad Expressway will find their way blocked and may use alternate routes through PWD Society, Sawan Garden, Kutchery Chowk and Saddar to reach Peshawar Road or the Motorway.

Similarly, heavy traffic coming from Peshawar on the GT Road and the Islamabad Motorway will be diverted from Chungi 26, back towards the Rawalpindi-Peshawar section of the GT Road and the Motorway.

Traffic coming from Peshawar Road, IJP Road Katarian Pul, Ninth Avenue will not be allowed to move ahead of Faizabad.

Heavy traffic coming from Murree and Azad Kashmir would be diverted from `Satra Meel' towards Murree Motorway as their entry would be closed towards Islamabad and Murree Road Rawalpindi.

For the general traffic, the stretch between Koral Chowk and Islamabad Expressway will be completely closed. Motorists can avail an alternate route from Rawalpindi Saddar road, Rawal Road, Murree Road, Stadium Road, Ninth Avenue, Kashmir Highway or IJP Road.

The road leading to Faizabad and Islamabad Expressway from Zero Point Under-Bridge will be completely closed for traffic. Motorists will be diverted to Faisal Avenue or Kashmir Highway from Zero Point Loop onto Ninth Avenue, Stadium Road, IJP Road, Saddar road and Sawan Garden road to head to the Islamabad-Lahore section of the GT Road.

The Red Zone in the federal capital will remain inaccessible from all sides for any kind of traffic. Those wishing to travel to and from Marriott, Islamabad Hotel, Sectors G-5 or G-6 or going to Rawalpindi, can use Margalla Road, Faisal Avenue, Kashmir Highway through Zero Point Loop, Ninth Avenue, Stadium Road, Faqir Api Road to IJP and Peshawar roads.

The residents of Nurpur Shah (Bari Imam area) and Quaid-i-Azam University may use Third Avenue from Murree Road or Shahdara Road, Margallah Road (Trail-3).

Residents of the diplomatic enclave may use Third Avenue road. The road from Rawal Dam Chowk towards Faizabad will remain closed from both sides for all kinds of traffic.

Residents of Murree or Bhara Kahu heading to GT Road may use the Korang Road through Bani Gala from where they can get to Park Road after taking a right turn from Imran Khan Chowk. Further, they would use Taramri Chowk, Lehtrar Road, Khana Service Road and Koral Chowk to reach their destination.

Residents of the same area are advised to use Kashmir Highway and Ninth Avenue to reach Rawalpindi.

The hiking trails on Margalla Hills will remain out of bounds for the duration of the visit. The Metro Bus will be limited to Rawalpindi.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2019.