LAHORE, Dec 23 Demolition work at a plaza at Kalma Chowk and closure of a turn connecting Barkat Market Road to Ferozpur Road by the city government has been causing worst traffic congestion in the area for the last couple of days.

Demolition of illegal buildings is under progress on Ferozepur Road, Gulberg's Main Boulevard and in other parts of the city on the directions of the Supreme Court.

A long queue of vehicles coming from Barkat Market Chowk towards Kalma Chowk unnerved motorists and traffic wardens who were seen handling traffic manually at one of the busiest crossings of the city.

Traffic congestions have been taking place at the chowk regularly after the city government closed a turn a few days ago for demolition of top floors of Ahad Towers built in violation of its approved design. As a result, it takes motorists coming from Barkat Market towards the chowk at least 20 minutes to reach the crossing.

Zafar Akhlaq, a motorist, criticised the city government for not completing the demolition work in time and causing a traffic mess at the already congested crossing. “Why the (city) government and the Lahore Development Authority allowed construction of illegal buildings and plazas? Now work is not being completed in time. People's comfort has no worth in the eyes of the authorities.”

A plan regarding construction of an underpass at Kalma Chowk was dropped at the last moment during the tenure of the PML-Q government for reasons unknown despite execution of some initial work.