Traffic goes haywire as cricket matches get underway

Rawalpindi experienced a traffic chaos as cricket matches kicked off at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. The administration's road closures surrounding the venue have caused inconvenience to residents, students, and traders. Murree Road was sealed from 6th Road to Faizabad, while Double Road was blocked from Murree Road to I.J. Principal Road in a bid to ensure the security of the cricket teams.

The suspension of metro bus service and traffic diversion has resulted in a traffic mess across the city. Although local police and traffic wardens have increased their presence to maintain smooth traffic flow, their efforts seem inadequate in tackling the downtown areas' congestion.

Taxi drivers have refused to navigate through Murree Road due to the heavy traffic, while pedestrians have resorted to walking on the main road. Mohammad Fayyaz, a resident of Data Ganj Bux Road, had to use Saidpur Road instead of his usual I.J. Principal Road route. The detour forced him to make a U-turn at Pirwadhai, as all U-turns on main roads were closed, leading to increased fuel consumption and time.

The escalating petrol price of Rs400 per litre further exacerbated the inconvenience, with Fayyaz spending an additional three litres of petrol on the alternative route.

Raja Afsar, a resident of Dhoke Kala Khan, also had to take the longer Islamabad Expressway route to return home from his office in Islamabad. He stated that his evening commute required navigating through Sadiqabad Road before reaching his destination, which was a considerable deviation from his usual path. Similarly, Raja Safeer, a resident of Shamsabad, complained about the difficulty his daughter faced in reaching her university in H-9 due to the road closure on Double Road.

Many students had to take the longer route to attend their classes, causing disruptions in their daily routines.

Traders, on the other hand, demanded the relocation of the cricket stadium outside the city as their businesses have suffered due to the road closures. Rawalpindi Traders Association President Shahid Ghafoor Paracha expressed his concerns to Dawn, stating that the last three days have witnessed a significant decline in shopkeepers' sales. He urged for the matches to be held outside the twin cities, as their continuous disruption has caused immense inconvenience to both traders and residents alike.