Traffic chaos: Kalma Chowk to be closed from Dec 19

Project director gives no deadline for when roads will reopen.

LAHORE: Kalma Chowk is to be closed for traffic from December 19.

The junction, which has already been closed to traffic from Ferozepur Road, will also close down to traffic from Main Boulevard from December 19.

A city district government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity said the closure may continue till the  second week of January. He said the contractors for the underpass at the junction would try their best to complete the work in the shortest time.

Traffic will be free to turn from the Kalma Chowk flyover into Model Town from today (Monday). There is no official deadline for the Kalma Chowk underpass construction.

Project Director Khalid Alvi said leaving the junction open was both slowing the pace of work and jeopardising public safety.

He said the project requires that they dig 30ft deep for which 30ft of space on either side was required. He said blocking traffic was the only option available.

He said a truck with construction material took several hours to arrive at the site due to the traffic bottleneck. He said no vehicles would be allowed between Barkat Market and Centre Point. He said he could give no deadline for when the road would open.

Chief Traffic Officer Captain (retd) Sohail said that an alternate traffic plan had been prepared. He said Ferozepur Road traffic would have no problems since the Kalma Chowk flyover was operational. He said all other traffic would be diverted through Gaddafi Stadium, Garden Town, Model Town and Gulberg. He said road signs would be displayed for public convenience. He said the city district government had removed encroachments from the diversion roads.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2012.