Frequent road closures irk Pindi residents

Authorities resort to roadblocks, cellular network suspension during protests, disrupting life

RAWALPINDI:

Citizens, especially patients, faced significant difficulties due to road closures in Rawalpindi and surrounding areas before and during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI).

Twenty days ago, City Traffic Police Rawalpindi introduced an emergency vehicles portal aimed at facilitating the movement of emergency vehicles during law-and-order situations. However, due to insufficient publicity, the portal failed to provide effective guidance. Many people en route to hospitals were forced to take long detours to reach their destinations.

It has become a routine practice to block roads in the city, cantonment, and nearby areas during political protests, causing severe disruptions to daily life. During the second week of ongoing protests, City Traffic Police Rawalpindi announced a special portal for emergency vehicles, along with a control room.

However, these measures proved inadequate when, on September 28, a political party protest led to around 30 blocking points across Rawalpindi city, cantonment, and surrounding areas, including heavy police deployment and checkpoints at 34 locations.

The road closures severely affected citizens, businesses, and employees commuting to work. Patients and ambulance staff were particularly distressed. Major hospitals like Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Kidney Centre, and Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, all located on Murree Road, were cut off by barriers placed at six different points.

Key routes such as the Kattariyan Bridge, Pandora Chowki, Chak Madad, Taj Company Chowk, and College Road were also blocked, further complicating access to hospitals.

One incident involved an ambulance, carrying patients and relatives, getting stuck near Waris Khan on Murree Road. The driver had to navigate side streets for a prolonged period before finally reaching Benazir Bhutto Hospital.

Similarly, Sharjeel, a resident, recounted his struggle to transport his mother from a private hospital on Peshawar Road. With the roads blocked, he was forced to drive for three hours through various routes before finally reaching home via Chak Shehzad and Tarlai.