ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Residents of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi Thursday faced second consecutive day of massive road blockage, caused by rally of a religious group, especially at the arteries that connect the twin cities.
The routine life seemed almost paralysed as people were unable to reach their respective destinations whether they were in the Federal Capital or the garrison city. Worst sufferers among them were patients, students and employees working in public and private sector departments. Metro Bus service was operating from Saddar terminal to Faiz Ahmed Faiz station only.
Ambulances remained stuck up in traffic jams and had to find alternate routes to hospitals, attendance in educational institutions and offices was thin as majority returned back to their homes after spending hours in the mess.
However, a small number of employees managed to reach their offices using alternate routes, spending three to four hours, burning extra fuel in vehicles and paying exorbitant fare to public transport and Taxi-cabs.
Karim Khan another frequent traveler between the twin cities of Rawalpindi-Islamabad complained that the public transport plying between the twin cities charged Rs.40 from Sadiqabad to Faizabad against the normal fare of Rs.15.
Mushtaq Ahmed, who lives in Chaklala scheme-III area of Rawalpindi and works in a public sector department in Islamabad, said he spent three hours on different roads of Rawalpindi and returned home after not finding any public transport as he was unable to pay high taxi-cab fares for alternate routes.
Muhammad Sagheer, another employee, said he boarded the Metro Bus from Mareer Chowk Rawalpindi and got off at the Faiz Ahmed Faiz terminal, the last station in the prevailing situation, and hired an online cab to reach the office at Zero Point.
According to the sources, district administration and local police have made arrangements to block the rally participants from entering the Red Zone, for which all entry and exit points of the Red Zone, including D-Chowk, have been completely sealed.
Islamabad Traffic Police have devised a traffic diversion plan for the rally and made an appeal to residents to avoid unnecessary travel.
According to the plan, heavy traffic coming from Lahore would be diverted to Rawalpindi from T-Chowk near Rawat, while heavy traffic coming from Peshawar would be diverted to Motorway via Chungi No-26.
The police have advised the residents travelling from Zero Point to Faizabad to use Kashmir Highway and 9th Avenue. While light traffic coming from Karal chowk to Faizabad for Islamabad, could use Peshawar road, Rawal Dam road, Murree road, 9th Avenue and IJP road for reaching their destinations in the Capital.
Whereas, the Police advised the traffic coming from Rawal Dam to Faizabad, to use Lehtrar road, Khanna bridge and Express Way. Similarly, light traffic coming from Khanna bridge to Faizabad could use Lehtrar and Park Lane roads.
