RAWALPINDI, Dec 6: Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) on Friday closed Tipu Road and Liaquat Bagh squares on Benazir Bhutto Road to make it signal free, and it will close Naz Cinema Chowk next week.

Besides, fish bellies U-turns opposite to St. Marry School, RDA offices and Marrir Chowk will be opened for general traffic on Saturday.An official of the RDA said Fish Belly U-turns separated the fast lane and vehicles took the U-turn to reach the opposite road.

However, the people were of the view that the U-turn in front of schools may create problems for the children.

“The RDA will have to install traffic signal at least near educational institutions. The moving traffic may create problems for the schoolchildren while crossing the road,” said Mohammad Arshad, father of a 4th class student at Government Girls School.

Nawazish Ali Khan, a shopkeeper near Education Department, said the government should go for some alternative Rawalpindi-Islamabad route instead of making Benazir Bhutto Road signal free.

“The U-turns introduced at Benazir Bhutto Road will be good but at this point it may prove counterproductive. The officials should visit the area during day time to get exact picture,” he said. On the other hand, the RDA Director, Engineering Department, Akram Soban was of the view that the fish bellies U-turns were constructed to provide people signal free road to Islamabad which would save their time and fuel.

He said that at first stage, they closed squares at Marrir Chowk and Shamsabad and then comes the number of Tipu Road and Laiquat Bagh chowks.

To a question about construction of U-turn in front of schools, he said that the schoolchildren would cross the road through pedestrian bridge erected there.

Terming the construction of U-turns at Benazir Bhutto Road as successful experiment to control the traffic mess, RDA Engineer Akram Soban said that RDA had offered its services to Capital Development Authority (RDA) and Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) to streamline traffic.

He said that the project at Marrir Chowk was successful and it was appreciated by the residents, local traffic police as well as local politicians. He said that the people used Benazir Bhutto Road without any hurdle and this would help them save their precious time.

“If each vehicle spent 15 minutes at each square due to traffic jam than 122, 251 vehicles wasted the fuel worth Rs2521,1221 per annum. However, this Fish Belly U-turn saved the precious time and money of the common man,” he said.

He said the construction cost of Rs10 million for each U-Turn would be required. However, he said that if the civic agencies agreed, the RDA would charge only consultation fee in this regard and the construction would be done by the respective civic agency itself.

He said that RDA would soon start work on the airport road from Benazir Bhutto International Airport to Islamabad Expressway.

He said that RDA would also construct fish bellies at Airport Road to avoid traffic mess.