Citizens’ outrage on load shedding and rallies in support of former Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer’s killer impeded the city’s traffic flow, causing citizens to suffer another day of worst traffic jam. The traffic problem has been irritating the citizens for the past few weeks; since the canal road widening and Muslim Town flyover projects were initiated. Absence of alternate traffic plan, outspread protests against load shedding and court’s verdict on Mumtaz Qadri have caused traffic jams on Mall Road, Ferozepur Road and Canal Road ultimately paralysing the traffic flow in all adjacent areas as well.
The on going construction works on many other roads also caused traffic to stuck as Multan Road, Canal Road, Ferozepur Road, Allama Iqbal Road and Ravi Road have been dug up at different places for construction and widening. The rallies, sit-ins and marches at Band Road, Bhatti Chowk, Regal Chowk, Township, GPO Chowk brought the traffic to a halt and traffic could flow could not be restored till late night. Mall Road remained forbidden entry for traffic while its adjoining arteries; Queens Road, Lawrence Road, China Chowk, Aiwan-e-Tijarat Road, Hall Road, Neela Gumbad, Kashmir Road and Abdullah Bin Badees Road; were crowded with traffic stuck for hours. The traffic flow at the Lower Mall, Garhi Shahu, China Chowk, Circular Road, Badami Bagh, Safanwala Chowk, Azadi Chowk, Queens Road, GPO Chowk, Maclod Road, Nappier Chowk, Davis Road, Qartaba Chowk, Lakshami Chowk, Wahdat Road and Bhjaikhay Wal Chowk was observed at snail’s pace as well. All vehicles including ambulances were left stranded in the traffic rush for hours, while many of them even ran out of fuel because of hours-long blockade. The only sound audible on roads was of horns, while many commuters had to park their vehicles miles away from their destinations owing to the blocked roads.
Traffic bears the brunt of two protests
