RAWALPINDI: As work on the Rs4.6 billion GPO underpass project on The Mall started on Monday, the whole Saddar area witnessed gridlocks on different roads.

The district administration and traffic police have made a traffic plan and diverted vehicles to alternative routes besides arranging parking spaces for private vehicles and public transport in Saddar.

Traffic on Bank Road is already closed adding to the rush on The Mall and Haider Road as well as Kashmir Road.

The district administration said The Mall would be closed completely from February 28 after completion of the ICC Champions Trophy matches at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium for which Double Road and adjoining slip roadson Murree Road were being closed for security concerns.

A senior official of the district administration said the groundbreaking ceremony for the project was expected to be held on February 28 after which no vehicle would be allowed on The Mall from Military Hospital Square to Pearl Continental Square.

He said traffic police had made a comprehensive plan for alternative routes and Regional Transport Authority also arranged a parking area for public transport vehicles.

`As per a survey of the communications and works department, more than 193,000 vehicles use this section per day, necessitating the construction of the underpass in the area,` he said.

He said the project was expected to be ready in three months.

He said digging for the underpass would be started within two to three days.

Steel sheets were being installed on the both sides of The Mall before the digging work to avoid any accident.

He said the assistant commissioner cantonment was assigned to collaborate with the cantonment board and traders for the smooth flow of traffic.He said the GPO underpass project was part of the Signal Free Corridor from Ammar Chowk to Motorway Chowk.

According to the plan, two more underpasses will be constructed and as many flyovers at Qasim Market on Peshawar Road.

After completion of work, u-turns will also be established in different areas which would reduce the travelling time for passengers.

He said the project would provide an opp ortunity t o tr aveler s f r om Islam abad and Rawalpindi to reach the Islamabad International Airport via the motorway without wasting time.

A new bus service is also likely to start for the airport from the garrison city, especially for cantonment areas.

Meanwhile, additional police and trafficwardenswere deployed toensure the smooth flow of traffic but they seemed incapable to handle the situation in the downtown. Due to traffic jams, the residents faced difficulties in reaching their destinations, especially in the afternoon.

Long queues were witnessed on The Mall from Military Hospital to the GPO Chowk.Taxi drivers refused to go to Saddar due to traffic rush and mostly people were seen walking on the main road due to absence of public transport.

Traders expressed their resentment and said closure of roads created problems for them.

Rawalpindi Cantonment Traders Association General Secretary Zafar Qadri told Dawn that the underpass project as good work but the RCB closed Bank Road for vehicles which created rush in Saddar. Mohammad Qamar, a commuter, said that the traffic mess had become an order of the day in the city.

He said it was difficult for people to use The Mall to go to Islamabad.

He said most of the schools and educational institutions were located in Saddar and people had to drop and pick their children using The Mall and traffic police should make alternative routes for school timings.

Suhail Sarfraz, a resident of Double Road, said it was difficult for the residents to go to Rawalpindi city or Islamabad via Saddar as the roads were closed.

He said the administration closed the roads and made life difficult for the locals.