Encroachments cause traffic snarl-ups on Pindi roads

Local vendors urged to cooperate with city traffic police

RAWALPINDI:

Encroachments in Rawalpindi are creating hurdles in the smooth flow of traffic, as street hawkers have set up their kiosks on the footpath, creating obstacles for those hoping to pass.

The encroachers could be seen on the 22 No. Chungi Road, Bara Market, Namak Mandi, Narnkari Bazar, Fawara Chowk, Trunk Bazar, Jamia Masjid Road, Sadiqabad, Muslim Town, Commercial Market, Saidpur Road, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Asghar Mall Road, Ganj Mandi Road, Dhoke Mangtal-Pirwadahi Road, and Bagh Sardaran.

The Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Rai Mazhar Iqbal said encroachments are a major impediment in the smooth flow of traffic, adding that the traffic police was making efforts to avoid traffic buildup on the roads.

He urged local traders to cooperate with the traffic police in eliminating the issue, adding that without their removal, the increasing traffic problems could not be controlled.

A Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) official added raids are being conducted in city markets to remove all kinds of encroachments in the area.

He said that all staff concerned have also been directed to expedite the ongoing efforts being made to remove the encroachments. Special teams have also been constituted to wipe the menace out, he added.

The vendors who were found selling their products on footpaths and several city roads were also issued fines and warnings, he said.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2021.