The Lahore Traffic Police has issued an advisory in the wake of the arrival of the Iranian president in the city on Tuesday.
It says that Tuesday being a holiday in Lahore, citizens should avoid unnecessary travel, specifically on The Mall road, Jail Road, Canal Road, Main Boulevard Road.
It has also issued instructions to avoid unnecessary travel around Greater Iqbal Park, Lorry Adda and Lower Mall. A specific road will be opened for traffic due to the VVIP movement, said the Lahore chief traffic officer, adding that alternative routes will be provided to citizens during the movement.
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Lahore Ring Road will be closed for traffic till 3pm on behalf of the Ring Road Authority, he said.
Traffic jam, roads close
In the afternoon, severe traffic jam was reported in Lahore due to the VVIP movement of the Iranian president, as The Mall road and all major highways in the city were closed, including Main Ferozepur Road, Gulberg Main Boulevard, Jail Road, Garden Town, Model Town Muslim Town, Shadman, and Mozang roads.
After putting up containers on major roads, the traffic police are nowhere to be seen, with citizens stuck on the roads. Common citizens, private employees and businessmen were all reported to be facing severe problems.
People say that the traffic police has not formulated any alternative plan despite the VVIP schedule. The traffic system has been reported to be disrupted by the closure of all major highways since 10am.
On Monday, the Department of Services and General Administration issued a notification declaring April 23 as a public holiday in the city. This announcement comes as a measure to facilitate the arrangements for President Raisi's visit and to ensure a smooth and welcoming environment for the esteemed guest.
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As per the notification, educational institutions and government offices throughout Lahore will remain closed on the designated day. However, the Punjab Civil Secretariat and related offices will continue their operations as usual, ensuring that essential government functions remain uninterrupted during the visit.
