The Islamabad Traffic Police has announced that two major roads in the federal capital will remain completely closed for two days, on October 24 and 25. According to the police, the road stretching from Rawal Dam Chowk to Kashmir Chowk and the route running from Serena Hotel to Kashmir Chowk will both be shut for traffic during this period, and commuters have been advised to plan their journeys accordingly.
The police say that motorists should use alternative routes and allow an extra 20 to 25 minutes for their travel to avoid any inconvenience. Several diversion plans have been shared for different parts of the city. Those travelling from G-5, the Secretariat or Serena Hotel towards Rawalpindi can take the Srinagar Highway along with Ninth Avenue, or use the Srinagar Highway in combination with Mehrabad Peshawar Road. They can also return via the Lake View U-turn and proceed on Murree Road or Club Road. For commuters coming from Rawal Dam Chowk, Park Road or Lehtrar Road, the suggested detour is through the Srinagar Highway, Seventh Avenue, Shakarparian Road, Tulip Hotel and Rawal Dam Road. People heading towards Murree and Bhara Kahu can go through Faizabad, Faisal Avenue, Zero Point, the Srinagar Highway underpass, Jinnah Square and Koriyanwala Chowk. Traffic coming from Rawalpindi into Islamabad has been directed towards Ninth Avenue, Faqir Aipee Road and the Srinagar Highway, while those on Park Road and Lehtrar Road bound for the capital can use Tulip Hotel Road, Garden Avenue, Shakarparian Road and Seventh Avenue.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The traffic police have also warned that the diversions could disturb traffic flow on the surrounding roads, so officers will be deployed at key points to guide commuters and keep traffic moving. Citizens can get the latest updates by tuning in to Islamabad Traffic Police FM 92.4 or by following the official social media pages of the Islamabad Police.
Road closures of this kind are a routine part of the capital’s traffic management, but for commuters in a city where Kashmir Chowk and the routes around Rawal Dam form the backbone of daily movement between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, even a short shutdown can stretch a normal commute into a long one. The advice from the police is simple and worth heeding: leave earlier than usual, keep the radio on for live updates, and stick to the marked diversions rather than trying to force a way through the closed sections.
