Barricades aggravate traffic chaos at Putlighar Chowk
The local Traffic Police and the administration seem to have forgotten the Putlighar chowk where traffic jams are witnessed throughout the day on a daily basis. Instead of finding a solution for managing traffic, the administration has rather blocked the passage by putting barricades on the road.
Commuters are forced to travel more and use other routes to reach their destinations. Shopkeepers near the chowk say wrong-side driving has increased since the day the barricades were installed.
A visit to the area reveals that commuters coming from the Islamabad side can cross over to the side of Gwal Mandi. They have the only option to turn left and take you turn from near Khalsa College for Women. Similarly, commuters coming from the Gwal Mandi side cannot go to Islamabad directly. They too have the only option of turning right and taking a U-turn from the next traffic signal.
Residents say the local authorities should have used traffic cops to manage the chaos instead of leaving the people to find their own way. “Surely it has helped commuters travelling on the GT road a little, but no relief from traffic jams has been received,” said Joginder Singh, a shopkeeper.
Commuters say the problem of traffic jams is deepening with each passing day and the administration must come up with a plan to improve the situation. “Traffic Police personnel are not even taking action against those drivers who flout each and every traffic rule and cause traffic chaos,” said another resident.