Like previous year, Murree Road and Karakoram Highway from Abbottabad to Nathia Gali, Abbottabad to Mansehra, Mansehra to Naran, on Monday remained jam-packed with vehicles moving at a slow pace.
Abbottabad traffic police had prepared a good traffic plan by which single KKH and Murree road was bifurcated in two lanes for incoming and outgoing traffic and a number of traffic police was also deployed to maintain the flow of traffic.
Unfortunately, the plan failed due to a heavy influx of tourists in the upper part of Hazara during Eid holidays.
In-charge Abbottabad traffic police Inspector Jameel said, “We had chalked out a traffic plan to tackle the traffic rush during Eid but unfortunately a heavy inflow of traffic which was beyond the capacity of the roads of Abbottabad and Mansehra.”
He said that until the construction of proposed bypasses for Abbottabad city, traffic police have to face this situation on such events like Eidul Fitr.
Mohsin Ali, a resident of Islamabad who was on his way to Abbottabad in order to exchange Eid greetings with his relatives, remained stuck for ten hours on KKH in traffic jam near Havelian city where normally a motorist takes about 15 minutes.
Due to traffic jam, the clutch plate of his car was also blown when the car engine heated up, he added.
Hundreds of vehicles were stuck in a severe traffic jam. Most of them ran out of fuel or went out of order and stranded other passengers on the road.