Peshawar More, Kashmir Highway closed for indefinite period

[Salman]

Peshawar More, Kashmir Highway closed for indefinite period

Islamabad : Commuters may face inconvenience from today (Monday) when they find the Kashmir Highway and the Peshawar More closed for all kind of traffic for an indefinite period. According to a late night news release issued by the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP), Peshwar More and Kashmir Highway have been closed due to the ongoing work on Metro Bus Project.

The audacious traffic police after closing the main thoroughfare advise the commuters in the same press release to use the route ‘earmarked’ by the SSP Traffic Asmatullh Junejo.

Commuters coming from Murree on their way to the Motorway can use the traffic route from Kashmir Chowk, Rawal Dam Chowk, Faizabad IJP Road and then turn towards Peshawar More and the Motorway (without entering Islamabad), says the release. Similarly, those coming from Rawalpindi and 9th Avenue towards G-8, G-7 Melody can take a left turn from Education Chowk using G-9 signal and taking PWD Chowk can take Neelum Road (along with Karachi Company) and then towards G-8 and adjacent areas.

Similarly commutes coming from Kashmir Highway and Police Lines can take Rohtas Road, Neelum Road and then go ahead towards the G F or other sectors. According to a traffic police official the commuters will have to face inconvenience for some time as the Metro Bus Project is underway. “Under the instruction of the Traffic SSP Asmatullah Junejo the traffic police personnel are doing their best to streamline the city’s traffic,” said the official.

On the other hand, the residents of G-9/4 sector have complained of the persistent dust storm looming over their heads since the start of the Metro Bus Project. “The supervisors of the project should keep sprinkling water on and along the Metro Bus construction route as we have a dust cloud hanging over our heads for the last two and a half months since the start of the Metro Bus,” said Humaira a resident of the G-9/4. She said her kids were suffering from throat infection as there is no let-up in the “dust storm” and the CDA administration is unmindful of the sufferings of those living close by the route of the Islamabad Pindi Metro Bus Project.

It may be mentioned here that in a recent meeting chaired by the CDA Chief Maroof Afzal problems regarding Islamabad section of the Metro Bus Project were highlighted. He was informed that there are three major issues being faced in the Islamabad portion of metro bus project, namely absence of comprehensive traffic plan, shifting of service lanes, and problems of dust and mud being created due to digging and construction work.

Afzal had constituted a joint team of technical persons comprising of the representatives of the CDA, SNGPL, NESPAK, and contractors, and directed them to sit jointly and finalize the shifting of service lines from the right of way of this project immediately so that the work on the project may proceed unhindered. These committees had to visit the site and come up with a comprehensive and detailed plan of action for shifting these utility lines without causing any delay on the ongoing work, and causing minimum nuisance to the public. However, so far no such visits took place that is multiplying the problems and sufferings of the residents as well as commuters.