RAWALPINDI: Following gridlock in the downtown areas, the Chief Traffic Officer Beenish Fatima swung into action and launched an operation against encroachments around Fawwara Chowk, City Sadar Road, Kashmiri Bazaar, Istbal Road, Ganj Mandi Road, Dangi Khoi Road, Namak Mandi and Gandam (wheat) Mandi.

The traffic police staff kept on waiting for the assistant commissioner concerned and anti-encroachment staff of RDA, whose primary job is to keep the city clear of encroachment but they did not turn up on Saturday.

A spokesman for the city traffic police said that the CTO Rawalpindi removed the encroachments with the staff present on the spot and personally supervised the campaign to the convenience of the citizens.

He said encroachments not only spoil the beauty of the city but also create a major obstacle in the flow of traffic, due to which people had to face mental distress.

The CTO Rawalpindi directed her staff to speed up the operation against encroachments and double parking that hinder the flow of traffic and additional personnel should be deployed at the crowded places.

The CTO said that no kind of encroachment or illegal parking would be tolerated and also directed the Circle Officer City Circle to take strict legal action against the encroachment mafia and requested the citizens to follow traffic rules, park their vehicles at the designated places and prove themselves as a responsible citizen.

She further said that only with the cooperation of the public, the city’s traffic can be improved and safe and easy travel be made possible for the citizens.

The City Traffic Police Rawalpindi is taking all possible steps to provide the best travel facilities to the public. Only with your cooperation and adherence to traffic rules can the beauty of the city be maintained and traffic flow be kept in the best possible manner.

CTO visits bank road

Chief Traffic Officer Rawalpindi Benish Fatima, along with the President of Anjuman Tajran Cantt and other office bearers, visited Bank Road which has been closed for traffic causing unrest among the traders.

After converting Bank Road into a pedestrian street, alternative traffic routes and traffic plans were discussed with traders during the visit.

On this occasion, CTO Rawalpindi paid attention to the concerns of the traders and assured them of taking practical steps to resolve their problems.

She invited traders to submit suggestions to improve traffic flow and said that the traders should meet her again next week with their written suggestions so that their problems could be resolved practically.

CTO Rawalpindi assured the Anjuman Tajran that the City Traffic Police would take all possible steps for the convenience of the public and the business community.

She added that illegal parking and activities that obstruct the flow of traffic would not be allowed.

During the visit, parking problems were also reviewed and CTO Rawalpindi also issued instructions to further improve parking arrangements.

The public is requested to obey traffic laws, park only in designated areas, and play their role in traffic flow, she said.

Since the Bank Road had been converted into pedestrian street and closed for traffic, the city traffic police have been facing problems in managing the traffic as well as shoppers and traders are badly affected due to this move. The city traffic police have also discussed this issue with the relevant authorities and conveyed their concern.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2024