Lahore : Canal Road closure: long queues persit

[Salman]

Lahore : Canal Road closure: long queues persit

The section of the Canal Bank Road from the Jail Road to FC College remained closed as scheduled on Tuesday, causing huge traffic jams on connecting routes.

The traffic flow down the Canal Road was diverted to Zafar Ali Road and then towards Main Boulevard, Gulberg.

However, the diversion to alternate roads did not seem to ease the traffic situation on roads connecting the closed section of Canal Road.

Some drivers accused the wardens of mismanaging traffic.

One of the drivers said that despite the presence of wardens, drivers were seen taking wrong turns and driving in the opposite direction, causing further blockages. A large number of motorcyclists were driving on the green belts on the Canal.

A warden, talking to The Express Tribune, said that no one was being fined for traffic violations on the diversions. He said any stoppage would further squeeze the traffic and worsen the situation. “Fining of a single driver takes at least 10 minutes. We do not have that much time to waste,” he said.

Mian Waqas, a car driver, said he had taken the alternate route to his house in Canal View Society, but that too took him more than an hour from Zafar Ali Road. “Zafar Ali Road was blocked too,” he added.

A traffic police spokesman refused to tell The Express Tribune what roads would be blocked or where diversions would be placed on Wednesday saying these were subject to last minute revision depending on traffic flow.

Asif Cheema, the traffic superintendent of police, said that the diversions were placed according to the blockage plan given to the traffic police by the Canal Road expansion project officials. The traffic situation was better than Monday, he added.

Jail Road to The Mall closed today

A section of the Canal Road, from Jail Road underpass to The Mall, will remain cordoned off today (Wednesday) by traffic police so that the patch of road can be carpeted.

The section of the road will be opened Thursday morning, according to CTO Syed Ahmed Mubeen. Mubeen asked people to call the traffic helpline 1915 in case of any queries and tune to Radio Rasta FM 88.6, traffic police’s radio station.

The Canal Road, a main artery of the provincial capital that leads to the Motorway M-2 and Lahore-Multan N-5, is being widened.