Twin cities’ authorities issue traffic diversions ahead of Azadi March’s arrival – Pakistan

Islamabad: On the eve of the arrival of Azadi March from Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, the administrations and the traffic police of Islamabad and Rawalpindi have planned large traffic detours and routes that protesters will take to their headquarters in H -9.

Half of the capital appeared to have been sealed with shipping containers and barbed wire on Wednesday, which increased confusion among residents of the capital when they saw that several of the city's main arteries were partially closed.

The march is likely to enter the capital today (Thursday) at night, but the administration and the police began to seal the city a day earlier. They placed containers on several roads, including around the Red Zone and the Faizabad and Zero Point exchanges.

Police said: "The roads leading to the Red Zone are blocked as a precaution to counteract any movement of Azadi March of JUI-F to reach sensitive areas."

The roads so far have been partially sealed, with little open space for traffic. The vehicle can move through space one at a time, but the location can cause congestion during routine traffic.

The Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) also issued a plan for march participants on Wednesday, as well as diversions for citizens.

The main meeting will be at the H-9 Metro Ground, and the parking area has been specified for the participants of the march.

Demonstrations from Peshawar on the highway or the G.T. The road will come from Chungi No.26 through the Kashmir Road, and will park its vehicles on both sides of the Peshawar Mor and G-9 curve.

Demonstrations from Lahore through the G.T. Road will use the Islamabad highway, and those coming from Murree or Bhara Kahu will arrive in Faizabad through the Dhoke Kala Khan flyover and will approach 9th Avenue Chowk, from where they will arrive at the place. Your vehicles will be parked at 9th Avenue Service Road (West).

The ITP has said there will be a traffic detour from Chungi No.26 to Islamabad, and people coming to Islamabad from the highway can take the Chungi No.26 overpass to Mehrabad Pirwadhai, I.J. Main Road, flyover of Faizabad, Murree Road, Expressway and Faisal Avenue.

There will also be a detour on the Kashmir road on G-11 towards Islamabad. Traffic will be diverted to Mehrabad I.J. Main road in Haji Camp Chowk.

Those heading to the Peshawar highway or to the Islamabad International Airport from the G-9, G-10 and G-11 can use the service road near their sectors and use the Kashmir highway through the traffic signal G-11

Those who go to the highway, Bhara Kahu, Murree and Rawalpindi can use the Margalla Road, 9th Avenue, I.J. Main Road or Faisal Avenue Chowk, Faizabad, Expressway, Murree Road and I.J. Main road.

Those going to the highway, Peshawar or the airport from Murree or Bhara Kahu will use Murree Road, Rawal Dam Chowk and I.J. Main road.

There will be a traffic detour from Golra Sharif to Islamabad Chowk, and traffic coming from G-11 or Golra can use the G-11 service and Margalla roads.

Another detour will be made from Zero Point to the G-11 traffic sign on the Kashmir highway. Those who go from G-5, G-6, G-7, G-8, F-6, F-7 and F-8 to Rawalpindi will use Faisal Avenue and Faizabad, Murree Road and I.J. Main road.

Those who move from G-9, G-10, G-11, F-8, F-10 and E-9 to Rawalpindi can use Margalla Road and 9th Avenue.

There will be a detour on Faqir Aipee Road for people coming from Nescom Chowk on I-10 to Police Lines Chowk, and they can use the I-10 (Bairuni Road) external road for 9th Avenue or I.J. Main road.

A detour from 7up Chowk to Education Chowk on Bazaar Service Road will also be established. Residents of H-8/3, H-8/4 and I-9 can reach 7up Chowk from 9th Avenue or I.J. Main road.

ITP FM 92.4 radio will broadcast special broadcasts to keep citizens updated on the traffic situation.

Police also developed a plan for any adverse incident and issued instructions to all police superintendents, subdivided police officers and station officers.

Instructions were also issued to the Anti-Terrorist Force to deal with such incidents. Directives were issued to establish a control room in the office of the Superior Superintendent of Police (SSP), and the director of Safe City was asked to monitor the situation through CCTV.

The headquarters of the SSP and the police superintendent of the Riot Unit have been responsible for mobilizing forces and vehicles for transportation.

Rawalpindi

Despite the confusion over the route established for the Azadi March, Rawalpindi police have planned traffic diversions and security arrangements, including the deployment of 4,000 police officers and 360 Rangers in the city.

There is a district control room established to handle any emergency and coordinate with the relevant authorities, headed by the assistant commissioner (headquarters). Another control room was installed at Parade Ground in Islamabad to monitor the progress.

According to the sources, negotiations were taking place between the leaders of the JUI-F and the provincial authorities to decide which route the rallies will take; The JUI-F has been insisting on Murree Road instead of Expressway, but the latter does not want to grant them permission to use Murree Road.

The situation has generated confusion in the police planning of final traffic diversions. Sources said the City Traffic Police (CTP) has planned traffic detours for any decision.

If the demonstration takes the highway to Peshawar Mor, traffic from Murree Road will be diverted to Cricket Stadium Road to 9th Avenue, and traffic from Marrir Chowk to Islamabad will be diverted to the commercial market through Chandni Chowk and Saidpur Road.

If protesters meet in Liaquat Bagh, traffic from Kutchery Chowk and Saddar will be diverted back to Saddar and T.M. Chowk If protesters block Kutchery Chowk, Lahore's traffic will be diverted to C.O.D. Chowk and Chungi No.22.

If there is a protest in Kural Chowk, traffic to Islamabad will be diverted from Chohan Chowk to Rawal Road, and Charing Cross traffic will be diverted to Westridge Road.

If protesters block the Soan bridge, the traffic moving from Rawalpindi to Jhelum will be diverted to the Kak bridge. Gujar Khan and Rawat traffic will be diverted to the Islamabad motorway.

The police have planned several points where they will reduce the tickets for the march at several points of entry as part of their security strategy, which will probably cause traffic congestion and inconvenience to the public.

The Chief Traffic Officer, Mohammad Bin Ashraf, told Dawn that he does not expect any major problems in the flow of traffic in the city, since the march is not supposed to pass through the city (via Murree Road). He said there will be congestion on the roads due to the procession in Islamabad and the sealing of roads in the capital.

He said protesters are expected to enter the Rawalpindi district on Thursday night.

Posted on Dawn, October 31, 2019