Islamabad - Ongoing construction work on Islamabad Expressway, especially construction of Koral Interchange and widening of roads, will ultimately facilitate traffic, but it has become main cause of serious traffic jams for the time being.
Traffic clogging on this stretch has become worse as the road construction is underway at Koral Chowk and ahead of it. Koral Chowk has been closed for motorists and U-turns have been given near Gulberg Chowk and ahead of Fazaia Stop.
Many people coming to the airport through the highway, sometime, miss their flights. The situation becomes all the more troublesome during the peak rush hours when people and students go to their work places and schools. The expressway is also used for dignitaries movement, thus multiplying the difficulties.
Following this situation in an aftermath of construction work, police source said that ITP have deployed more than 100 personnel to maintain traffic flow during this construction period and U-turns have been given near Gulberg Chowk and ahead of Fazaia Stop.
Meanwhile, the traffic police official said that they were focusing on enforcement of rules and patrolling is being ensured on highway to check traffic violation and avoid traffic jam. The police have put their foot down and making serious efforts in maintaining traffic flow especially in the days still the construction is underway, the police source said.
Another issue of lane violation by public transport vans, trucks, buses and motorcyclist has also become a growing threat to motorists along ten-kilometer stretch of Islamabad Highway between Faizabad and Koral.
The Islamabad Traffic Police, for reasons known to it, have virtually turned a blind eye to this mounting menace, citizens and commuters say. Small iron guards have been placed on the road to specify lanes for heavy vehicles as well as light transport. The purpose of this division is to urge drivers to follow their specific lanes. But the lane division is being exploited by passenger-hungry van drivers who criss-cross between the lanes to earn more profit.
It has been observed that public transport vans repeatedly jump from one lane to another lane, especially after seeing the passengers.
Likewise, the motorcyclists mostly do not follow their lane on highway and use fast lane instead of driving on extreme left lane specified for them.
Additional deployment of policemen is necessary to make the motorcyclists and public transport vehicles follow the lanes, said Aslam who daily shuttles from Model Town Humak to Zero Point at his office.
When contacted, SSP (Traffic) Malik Matloob said that four vehicles of ITP patrol from Faizabad to Koral Chowk to check lane violation.