Traffic officials want widening of crossings,

[Salman]

LAHORE, Dec 27: Who is to be blamed for everyday traffic jam On Jail Road, The Mall and Canal Road?

The City District Government of Lahore (CGDL) holds the traffic police responsible for fiasco, saying it is responsibility of the traffic police to make plans and regulate the traffic.

The traffic police, however, see the ongoing construction works and roadside encroachments as major hurdles in the smooth flow of vehicles.

The CGDL has been tasked with converting 20 major city roads into model roads by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif three weeks ago.

An official said as traffic wardens were facing severe problems to maintain traffic on The Mall and Jail and Ferozepur roads due to the ongoing widening of Canal Road (from FC College to Jail Road underpasses and Muslim Town flyover), the traffic police suggested the CDGL to immediately start widening crossings and service roads to cope with the influx. The CDGL management, however, called it a useless plan, claiming that it would add to the miseries of the motorists, said the official without explaining his point.

He said as Canal Road was a main artery linked with various major roads of the city, the widening work would continue creating traffic-related problems.

Lahore Commissioner Jawad Rafique Malik was not available for comment. Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Ahmad Mobeen said his department was working with the CGDL to help motorists.

“For the last few days, we have been working with town municipal officers of various towns to help them remove encroachments from roads,” he said.

As the number of vehicles is swelling on city roads, the government has decided to declare 20 roads as model where traffic will be hassle-free.

The roads to be converted are: The Mall, Jail Road, Ferozepur Road, Multan Road, Canal Link Road, Lower Mall, Interior and Exterior Lower Mall, GT Road, Main Boulevard (Gulberg), Wahdat Road, McLeod Road, Main Boulevard (Iqbal Town), Peco Road, Madar-i-Millat Road, Main Boulevard (Johar Town), Davies/Empress Road, Main Boulevard (Sabzazar), Ravi Road and Maulana Shaukat Ali Road.