The traffic plan issued by Islamabad Traffic Police shows the route people can follow today.
Those going to the motorway, Peshawar or the airport from Murree or Bhara Kahu will use Murree Road, Rawal Dam Chowk and I.J. Principal Road.
There will be a traffic diversion from Golra Sharif to Islamabad Chowk, and traffic coming from G-11 or Golra may use the G-11 service and Margalla roads.
Another diversion will be in place from Zero Point to the G-11 traffic signal on Kashmir Highway. Those going 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. Principal Road.
Those moving from G-9, G-10, G-11, F-8, F-10 and E-9 to Rawalpindi may use Margalla Road and 9th Avenue.
There will be a diversion on Faqir Aipee Road for people coming from Nescom Chowk in I-10 to Police Lines Chowk, and they can use the I-10 outer road (Bairuni Road) for 9th Avenue or I.J. Principal Road.
A diversion will also be set up from 7up Chowk towards Education Chowk on Bazaar Service Road. Residents of H-8/3, H-8/4 and I-9 may reach 7up Chowk from 9th Avenue or I.J. Principal Road.
ITP’s FM radio 92.4 will air special transmissions to keep citizens up to date on the traffic situation.
The police has also devised a plan for any untoward incident, and issued instructions to all superintendents of police, sub-divisional police officers and station house officers.
Instructions were also issued to the Counter-Terrorism Force to deal with such incidents. Directives were issued to set up a control room at the office of the senior superintendent of police (SSP), and the Safe City director was asked to monitor the situation through CCTV.
The SSP headquarters and Anti-Riot Unit superintendent of police have been made responsible for mobilising forces and vehicles for transportation.
Rawalpindi
Despite confusion regarding the route in place for the Azadi March, the Rawalpindi police have planned traffic diversions and security arrangements, including the deployment of 4,000 police and 360 Rangers, in the city.
There is a district control room set up to deal with any emergencies and coordinate with the relevant authorities, headed by the assistant commissioner (headquarters). Another control room has been set up at Parade Ground in Islamabad to monitor the march.
According to sources, negotiations between JUI-F leaders and provincial authorities were underway to decide what route rallies will take; the JUI-F has been insisting on Murree Road instead of the Expressway, but the latter do not want to grant permission for them to use Murree Road.
The situation has led to confusion for police planning final traffic diversions. Sources said the City Traffic Police (CTP) have planned traffic diversions for either decision.
If the rally takes the Expressway to Peshawar Mor, traffic from Murree Road will be diverted to Cricket Stadium Road towards 9th Avenue, and traffic from Marrir Chowk to Islamabad will be diverted to Commercial Market via Chandni Chowk and Saidpur Road.
If protesters gather at Liaquat Bagh, traffic from Kutchery Chowk and Saddar will be diverted back to Saddar and T.M. Chowk. If Kutchery Chowk is blocked by protesters, traffic from Lahore will be diverted to C.O.D. Chowk and Chungi No.22.
If there is a protest at Kural Chowk, traffic towards Islamabad will be diverted from Chohan Chowk to Rawal Road, and traffic from Charing Cross will be diverted towards Westridge Road.
If protesters block Soan Bridge, traffic moving from Rawalpindi towards Jhelum will be diverted to Kak Bridge. Traffic from Gujar Khan and Rawat will be diverted to Islamabad Expressway.
The police have planned various points where they will narrow passages for the march at various points of entry as part of their security strategy, which will likely cause traffic congestion and inconvenience the public.
Chief Traffic Officer Mohammad Bin Ashraf told Dawn he doesn’t expect any major problems in the flow of traffic in the city as 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 the marchers are expected to enter Rawalpindi district Thursday night.
Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2019