RAWALPINDI, Nov 3: In an overnight attempt, traffic authorities in Rawalpindi closed down various entry points to the Benazir Bhutto Road to ensure a signal-free avenue and clear traffic jams.

An attempt by traffic authorities, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and Rawalpindi’s municipal administration to block trespassing of vehicles has now made the road less crowded.

“We need an engineering management for busy roads and the construction of flyovers. We simply prevented the access of unnecessary traffic from the inner city areas which would block the main road,” Director General RDA Chaudhry Naseer Ahmed told Dawn on Sunday.

Passengers and motorists that commute between Rawalpindi and Islamabad would now heave a sigh of relief as the fresh traffic plan would provide a non-stop flow of traffic between the twin cities.

However, motorists joining the road from the nearby localities would have to face inconvenience.

The Marir Chowk, where traffic congestion reaches its worst due to crossing vehicles, has been blocked to motorists coming from Rashid Minhas Road and Kashmir Road.

This would provide smooth flow for vehicles plying on the Benazir Bhutto Road.

Similarly, the U-turn near Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium has been replaced by another U-turn further along the road to discourage traffic congestion when motorists from Islamabad and Rawalpindi arrive at Shamsabad.

The entrance to Benazir Bhutto Road from Waris Khan has also been blocked to ensure the main traffic is not interrupted.

This arrangement, according to traffic engineers, will put an end to vehicular jams on Liaquat Bagh signal.

Director Engineering Akram Soban informed Dawn that the Benazir Bhutto Road would be made signal free in the coming weeks after the completion of the Railway Bridge at Marir Chowk.

He added that reaching Rawalpindi Saddar from Islamabad would be a matter of just 20 minutes.

Although the Punjab government has spent over Rs2.30 billion on the construction of Chandni Chowk and Sixth Road flyovers in addition to Rs450 million for the under-construction Railway Bridge, traffic congestions remain a common site.

“Officials from traffic office, municipal administration and RDA met on Friday and decided to block the unnecessary entry points to Benazir Bhutto Road and provide alternatives to traffic.

“It worked and one can now see that traffic jams are no more a common sight,” Mr Soban said.

Mohammad Hadi, a motorist, told Dawn that the new traffic management had ensured smooth flow of traffic, adding that the problem had still not been solved at Marir Chowk.

The Tehsil Municipal Administration has been tasked to discourage encroachment and random parking along the road.

“Our staff would immediately lift a car parked along the road, which is appreciated by residents,” said Tahir Khan, the spokesman for TMA Rawal Town.

Motorists living in the vicinity of Benazir Bhutto Road will find it hard to join the road as they now have fewer access points.

However, traffic officials maintain that the inconvenience to these motorists is far less compared to the relief given to most passengers.