Faizabad Interchange sealed in anticipation of rallies

Motorists suffer as traffic gridlock occurs on all connecting roads

RAWALPINDI:

In view of the fear of protest rallies from Rawalpindi to Islamabad, the Faizabad Interchange was cordoned off with containers. Long queues of vehicles destined for Islamabad were witnessed.

Motorists were stuck for several hours on Murree Road, IJP Road, Express Highway, and Double Road. Commuters in the twin cities faced severe traffic problems. Ambulances and rescue vehicles were also diverted to alternative routes. People going to offices, schools, colleges and hospitals also faced severe problems.

Traffic police officials said that the federal capital administration sealed the Faizabad Interchange by suddenly installing containers on Friday morning. Traffic from Rawalpindi to Islamabad was halted as a result.

The administration installed three-storey containers and also erected barriers on pedestrian paths. Adopting a proper strategy, the city traffic police immediately arranged alternative routes. The vehicles going to Islamabad from Murree Road Shamsabad Turn were diverted back towards Rawalpindi, and the obstructions on Murree Road near Double Road were removed.

An emergency route was immediately provided and the traffic was diverted towards Islamabad via Double Road. Murree Road had heavy traffic congestion in the morning, due to which the citizens faced inconvenience. After the Faizabad Interchange was sealed, additional traffic police personnel were deployed on Murree Road to minimise the inconvenience of the citizens.

Rajab Tauheed, who reached the Faizabad Interchange and was stuck in a traffic gridlock before joining his office, said that he was unaware of the closure of the Faizabad Interchange. After finding the interchange closed and no traffic police cop available for guidance, he reached back to Double Road after an hour's struggle and was finally diverted towards Islamabad along with other motorists.

Tauheed urged the government to inform the citizens about the closure of any important thoroughfare at least two days before any happening and law and order duties as motorists of the twin cities have to face serious problems due to the closure of important highways every day.

Trader Abdul Rahman Khan said the police were not even allowing shops to open. "The Faizabad Interchange is sealed every day and adjacent markets are also closed," he lamented. Traders were already worried about utility bills and now the closure of businesses devastated them.

The administration officials said that if the law and order situation in the twin cities remained peaceful for the next 24 hours, the containers would be removed from the Faizabad Interchange and main thoroughfares would be reopened.