Mardan  -  People in Mardan, including students, teachers, commuters, and visitors, are facing persistent difficulties due to major traffic jams across the city, with traffic police mainly focused on issuing fines to Tazraftars and other vehicles rather than regulating traffic flow.

Speaking to The Nation, residents mentioned that main roads like Bank Road, Malakand Road, Charsadda Chowk, Shaheedan Bazaar, Hoti Chowk, Dwasaro Chowk, Baghdada Chowk, and Malakand Chowk remain congested most of the time due to a lack of planning and traffic rule violations. Mudasir Khan, a local resident, criticized the traffic police for their limited role, often imposing fines early in the day but failing to regulate traffic throughout.

He argued that for effective traffic management, the government should eliminate any commission structure tied to fines. Saeed Khan, a visitor, also alleged that many traffic wardens spend time on mobile phones or chatting with others instead of controlling traffic.

Residents reported that areas near District Headquarters Hospital on Shamsi Road often face blockages due to illegal parking and encroachments. They believe that unnecessary U-turns and illegal parking along roads add to the city’s traffic congestion.

Locals also noted that spots like Par Hoti Chowk, Malakand Road, bus station, and Charsadda Chowk are heavily impacted, with vehicles stopping arbitrarily to pick up passengers.

They urged the regional and district police officers to take steps to alleviate the ongoing traffic issues in Mardan.