KOHAT: The biggest hurdle in streamlining the traffic flow in Kohat city is the ban on entry of vehicles into the cantonment.

Assistant commissioner Farrukh Ateeq said this while chairing a meeting at his office on Thursday. Secretary transport Qaiser Naz, Kohat transport union president Tahir Shah and presidents of rickshaw, Suzuki and other vehicles’ drivers’ unions attended the meeting.

The participants said that it was essential to find out ways to ease traffic pressure on the narrow roads of the city.

Mr Ateeq said that the administration wanted the road from district courts chowk to Kohat Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education clear from all sorts of encroachments for widening of this main artery. He also formed a committee of National Highway Authority and district administration officials to remove the encroachments and widen the road.

The AC said that this main road would be made a four-lane route to ease the traffic pressure in the city.

He said that all bus stands would be shifted from the city to a suitable place outside to maintain smooth flow of traffic.

With the arrival of thousands of internally displaced persons in Kohat the traffic rush has increased and during peak hours it takes much longer than usual to cover the main artery in the city.

It is to be mentioned that permanent gates and checkposts have been constructed at all sides of the cantonment and commuters are not allowed to enter from last five years.

The army has been refusing to open the cantonment route to traffic because of security threats. Therefore, it was felt that an alternative option has to be found out to overcome the traffic problem.