LAHORE, Aug 5: Traffic of all kind used Ravi’s old bridge to go out of Lahore for 24 hours from Saturday midnight because of closure of a lane of the new bridge for repairs. The old bridge had been declared dangerous and closed down for vehicular traffic a couple of years ago.

The closure resulted in traffic jams at Niazi Chowk and Saggian Bridge intersection on Bund Road. Traffic police officials erected barricades on Outfall Road near the new hostel of the Government College, denying entry to the traffic on the thoroughfare.

Officials of the National Highway Authority, who continued the repairs from early in the morning till 5pm on Sunday, said the material used would take seven to eight hours to dry and gain strength. Repair of the other portion of bridge would be started next weekend, they said.

A traffic police spokesman said 60 wardens, 13 senior wardens and two deputy superintendents of police remained on duty throughout Sunday.