Lahore residents in Pakistan complain about traffic congestion on Canal Road near Harbanspura
In Lahore, Pakistan, residents of housing areas along Canal Road near Harbanspura complain about persistent traffic congestion caused by the narrow road and a bridge over the canal. The situation is most difficult during office and school hours, when lines of vehicles form on both sides of the canal.
As Dawn reports, local resident Mian Afzal said that crossing the bridge sometimes takes about half an hour. According to him, a minor accident or a vehicle breakdown can completely block traffic on this stretch.
The expansion project was halted
According to the publication, during its previous term in power, the Punjab government led by the Pakistan Muslim League — Nawaz (PML-N) approved a plan to widen the Canal Road section and build U-turns from the Dharampura tunnel to Jallo Mor. The project was intended to reduce congestion and make travel easier for daily road users.
Canal Road was widened as far as the Harbanspura police station. After the 2018 elections, when the PTI party came to power in Punjab, the project was halted along with other initiatives of the previous PML-N administration.
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The return of PML-N to power in Punjab after the 2024 elections renewed residents' expectations that the project would be implemented. At the same time, according to Dawn, authorities cited financial constraints and the allocation of funds to other priority development programs.
Residents call for work to resume
Residents describe the section between Harbanspura and Jallo Mor as a bottleneck, especially for traffic coming from the Mall Road side. They also say that police patrols regulate traffic near small bridges close to Sahafi Colony to allow VIPs to pass.
Local traders also complain about the congestion: according to them, customers stop at shops less often, while deliveries of goods are delayed. Residents and activists are calling on the Punjab government to resume the halted project, as the population of Harbanspura and nearby housing areas is growing and the capacity of the narrow bridge does not match the traffic load.
A representative of the Lahore Development Authority told Dawn that an estimate to resolve the problem had been submitted for consideration several times. According to him, the document is planned to be resubmitted to the relevant body for approval.
