RAWALPINDI: Due to the shutdown of roads leading to Saddar for VIP movement on Wednesday, thousands of commuters, including women and children, were trapped in traffic jams for several hours, choking the entire city for the sake of one “electric bus” service inauguration.

Thousands of road users, especially students, women, children, office workers and traders, have already been experiencing mobility issues due to the ongoing Kutchery Chowk remodelling project, traffic diversions on numerous routes that are in poor condition and require immediate repair, and due to security restrictions for cricket matches.

The inauguration of the “electric bus service” in the busiest Saddar area further worsened public movement.

The worst traffic mess was witnessed on the main stretch of Murree Road and its arteries leading to Saddar due to the movement of the Chief Minister of Punjab.

The situation not only plunged thousands of commuters into distress but also suspended business activities in the busiest Saddar commercial area, Gawalmandi, Raja Bazaar and other parts of the city.

The district police and traffic wardens had been deployed along the chief minister’s route since morning, though she arrived in the afternoon. The majority of traffic wardens were stationed along the VIP route, leaving other points unattended.

At a road crossing near Gawalmandi, some private individuals were seen managing traffic as long queues of vehicles piled up on both sides of the crossing.

Some commuters stuck in the traffic mess on Murree Road turned around and altered their routes, but were unable to find a clear alternative. They were forced to wait for the VIP convoy to depart while cursing their luck.

A university lecturer, who left his university at 3:30pm and was stuck in the traffic on Murree Road as he needed to take his mother to the hospital, tried his best to find a clear way to reach Chaklala Scheme III.

However, he was unable to reach her in time, and the doctor’s appointment lapsed.

Like him, hundreds of students studying in schools, colleges, and universities around Kutchery Chowk have been facing problems in reaching their educational institutions on time due to a lack of planning by the district administration.

Some motorists stuck in the traffic on Murree Road tried to change their routes but could not find any alternate road clear, leaving them with no choice but to lament their luck and wait for the VIP convoy’s departure.

A woman commuter, who identified herself as Ms N, said the district administration should have shifted the inauguration of the electric bus service elsewhere instead of causing trouble for thousands of people stuck in traffic jams.

“I left my house for university at 7am and returned at 3:30 pm, but due to traffic jams, I reached home at 5:30pm after going through an ordeal for hours,” the assistant professor told Dawn.

She said that wherever she tried to turn, she found the traffic blocked.

Travelling on roads in the garrison city has become a daunting task for ordinary people, who are already struggling to make ends meet in the prevailing situation.

The City Traffic Police had already pointed out to the authorities concerned that all alternate roads designated for diversions needed urgent repair when the Kutchery Chowk remodelling project began.

But despite more than two weeks passing, the situation has been worsening day by day.

Only patchwork, lane marking, lighting and rainwater drainage pipes affixed with the elevated metro bus track were repaired and carried out along the VIP route.

Sweepers wearing jackets inscribed with the slogan “Saf Suthra Punjab” were seen cleaning the road with brooms and some individuals were placing large billboards along Murree Road displaying images of the electric bus, CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz and Nawaz Sharif.

An old-time resident of the city said he had been observing such situations for several years, but nothing had changed in Rawalpindi that could be shown to tourists visiting the city.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2025