Commuters in Islamabad and Rawalpindi are facing significant issues due to heavy traffic on the Islamabad Expressway and Srinagar Highway during the morning and evening hours throughout Ramazan.
According to *Jang*, the traffic police have been unable to maintain a smooth flow during peak hours.
The report mentioned that traffic on the Islamabad Expressway and Srinagar Highway remains slow in the mornings until 11 am. “Drivers in a hurry move in a zigzag manner, further disrupting the flow,” it added.
The maximum speed in the 80 km/h lanes is reduced to 40 km/h between 4 pm and 7 pm.
Traffic on the Expressway and Srinagar Highway slows down before iftar, particularly between 5 pm and 6 pm, as commuters rush home, causing traffic jams.
Asma, a 32-year-old housewife residing in Gulberg Greens, takes her daughter to a school in F-7. While speaking to Azaad English, she said that despite leaving home with a 15-minute margin, she still gets delayed due to traffic on the Expressway.
“The distance between my home and the school is around 21 kilometres, which should take less than half an hour to cover, but due to congestion on the Expressway, it takes much longer.”
The Islamabad Expressway connects major roads and areas in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. It links with the Srinagar Highway, providing access to sectors G-9, G-10, and G-11.
Khayaban-e-Suharwardy connects to Aabpara, while Jinnah Avenue leads to the Blue Area.
Murree Road (Benazir Bhutto Road) links Islamabad with Rawalpindi, and the Faizabad Interchange serves as a key junction between the twin cities. Koral Chowk connects the Expressway to Airport Road and Lehtrar Road. The road extends to T-Chowk (Rawat), merging with GT Road (N-5) towards Lahore.
