LAHORE: Traffic police on Thursday left commuters trapped in one of the worst gridlock on major city roads, especially in the downtown.

Traffic at Qartaba Chowk, on Mozang Road, Fane Road, Lytton Road, McLeod Road, Saffanwala Chowk, Bahawalpur Road, Napier Road, Nisbet Road, Mayo Hospital Road, Circular Road and Jail Road remained choked for hours.

On a few spots, traffic wardens were witnessed trying to clear the mess, while on most of the choked roads they either chose to opt for look-busy-do-nothing mode or became ‘invisible’.

Traffic police authorities attributed traffic jams to the closure of a portion of Ferozepur Road due to the road construction along the Samanabad drain from LOS to Multan Road. However, they could not explain as to how this closure disrupted traffic all over the city, especially in the downtown for hours. There was also no explanation for poor or no traffic management at the worst-hit road junctions.

As the gridlock worsened by the evening, it hit most of those who were returning home from their workplaces or some with evening jobs heading to their offices.

Because most of the motorists and bikers traveling towards Ferozepur Road were unaware of the closure, they got stuck on the main artery or on the adjoining roads.

The downtown, where most of wholesale and retail markets are situated, was the worst hit in the evening hours. Though there was no way out, everyone wanted to pass Circular Road and its adjoining streets. Exchange of hot words and brawls were witnessed on many roads between frustrated motorists trapped in jams.

Many people trapped in the mess were cursing the government as well as traffic police, some others were calling back home to inform their families about their well-being.

Traffic police authorities, however, denied that wardens were missing from city roads. But they did admit that all roads were blocked and that long queues of vehicles were witnessed on Temple Road, Rattan Chand Road, Bhati Chowk, Circular Road and many other arteries.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2014