Islamabad: Opening of underpass brings relief to motorists

[Naveed Yaseen]

Muhammad Anis
The motorists travelling on Faisal Avenue have taken a sigh of relief with the opening of underpass at Citibank Chowk.

The Faisal Avenue underpass was opened for traffic late Tuesday evening on completion of road carpeting work on emergency basis following directives from CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari.

Unlike Shaheed-e-Millat Secretariat underpass, the road on both sides Faisal Avenue underpass is 36 feet wide for easy flow of traffic.

The opening of underpass at Citibank Chowk is beneficial particularly for residents of sectors F-8, F-10 and E-7 who come from Margalla Road and use Faisal Avenue to reach Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and government offices in sector H-8 and on Khyaban-e-Suharwardy. Now it is signal-free traffic for these motorists who previously had to use diversions at Citibank Chowk or to travel the whole Margalla Road to arrive at their work places.

The Capital Development Authority (CDA), however, would have to partially close the underpass for traffic for laying fine surface of the road, lane marking, installation of streetlights and signboards. A CDA official said that the contractor had pre-caste most of the slabs for installation on the structure of flyover and it should not take more than two and a half months to finish remaining work at flyover cum underpass project at Citibank Chowk.

As the opening of Faisal Avenue underpass had come as an Eid gift for the residents of Islamabad, the motorists need extra 15 to 30 minutes to reach destinations at any hour of day or night due to strict security arrangements in the federal capital.

No more signal-free traffic is allowed at two crossings in front of Serena Hotel and traffic coming from Murree Road could not cross the traffic signal at the crossing near the Serena Hotel and have to use the U-turn of Embassy Road to reach the Constitution Avenue.

On arriving at picket near the hotel, all motorists are required to identify themselves and tell the police about their destinations otherwise they are not allowed to move forward. Similarly, the entry is not allowed from crossing near Nadra office and those wanted to reach Blue Area from Nadra office and other nearby offices have to take long route of Khyaban-e-Suharwardy and Embassy Road.

There is also strict checking of motors bearing numbers except from Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The security arrangements are not restricted only to areas around Constitution Avenue but same is the situation at entry points to Islamabad.

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