A man rides a bicycle on a smoggy morning in Lahore. PHOTO: Reuters
The travel advisory issued by the National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP) revealed that dense fog was being witnessed at Thokar, Choungh, Mohlanwal, Maraka, Manga Mandi, Phool Nagar, Jhambar, Pattoki, Habibabad, Renala Khurd, Okara, Gimber, Sahiwal, Mian Channu, Khanawal, Basti Malook, Lodhran, Ahmad Pur Sharqia, Harrapa, Rahim Yar Khan and Mir Dad Mafi and visibility had been reduced to less than 50 metres.
The NHMP, M-2 motorway has been closed from Lahore to Islamabad, M-3 motorway from Lahore to Abdul Hakeem, Multan to Khanawal and Faizpur to Khanawal, M-4 motorway from Sham Kot to Shor Kot and Faisalabad to Gojjra, M-5 motorway from Rahim Yar Khan to Multan, owing to dense fog.
The NHMP has warned commuters that dense fog had reduced visibility on national highways and motorways. In various sections, visibility is as low as zero metre. It highlighted that dense fog has also blanketed the Grand Trunk Road between Kala Shah Kaku and Hasanabdal where visibility is around 10 metres.
Another travel advisory issued by the NHMP disclosed that Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2) and Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) section between Peshawar Plaza and Rashaki had been closed for all types of traffic. It highlighted that visibility on both motorways had come down to zero.
The NHMP spokesman advised the commuters to avoid unnecessary travel and use Humsafar mobile app for quick information about major routes.
Airlines had also advised passengers to consult flight inquiry before leaving their home as several flights had been cancelled or delayed due to dense fog.
An official at the Lahore airport told The Express Tribune flights were being operated partially, but it is most likely that they had to suspend operations due to dense fog.
The national flag carrier had to reschedule various domestic flights due to unfavourable aviation conditions being caused at the airports in Punjab, Sindh and KP provinces.
A spokesperson for the Pakistan Railways said dense fog has also disputed trains schedule in the country due to which passengers were facing problems. He highlighted that arrival and departure of several trains were behind its schedule as 1-Up Khyber Mail was 2:30 hours late, 2-Down Khyber Mail 2:10 hours, 5-Up Greenline Express train 3:45 hours, 6-Down Greenline 4:48 hours, 8-Dn Tezgam train was 30 minutes late, 9-Up Allama Iqbal Express 5:40 hours, 11-UP Hazara Express 7 hours, 12-Down Hazara Express 4 hours, 13-Up Awam Express 3:20 hours, 14-Dn Awam Express was 5:50 hours late and 15-Up Karachi Express 7:20 hours and 16-Down Karachi Express was 8:15 hours late.
Similarly, 17-Up Millat Express was 6:45 hours late, 23-Up Akbar Express train 5 hours, 27-Up Shalimar Express train 4:15 hours, 28-Down Shalimar Express 5:25 hours, 30-Down Sindh Express 2:25 hours, 33-Up Pak Business Express 8:35 hours, 34- Down Pak Business Express train was 6:15 hours late. While, 36-Down Sir Syed Express train was 5:34 hours late while 37-Up Fareed Express was 3:45 hours, 38-Down Fareed Express one hour, 39-Up Jaffar Express 2:40 hours, 41-Up Karakoram Express 11:20 hours and 42-Dn Karakoram Express was 8:50 hours late.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2019.
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