PESHAWAR: Due to an excessively dense fog, the motorway from Peshawar to Swabi Interchange was closed on Wednesday for safety reasons.
The actuator of the motorway police said that the closure is to avert accidents and the safety of drivers since the visibility has come down to only a few meters.
He also informed that due to the fog the road had become very hazardous and those who were using the motorway were recommended not to come near it and take different routes.
The motorway police have made a call to all the road users that they must get the latest updates before they start their trips. Secondly, the teams present at the spot are determining the time of reopening based on the forecast of the conditions.
The area of Peshawar has been suffering from dense fog for several days, and life has been hindered. A number of accidents were caused due to low visibility of the roads.
Moreover, the officials have directed the drivers to slow down and keep their front lights on in order to prevent accidents. If anyone is forced to use the road, the motorway police recommend that the person first gets permission from the authorities and then drives very cautiously.
There might also be additional safety measures implemented, for instance, more traffic police officers could be patrolling the area and doing everything that is needed to ensure that the traffic goes smoothly and safely during the foggy period.
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Peshawar set for major upgrades under Smart City drive
The Provincial Minister for Local Government, Meena Khan Afridi, has ordered the authorities to accelerate the work on the Peshawar Smart City projects to ensure the timely development of the provincial capital.
During a high-level meeting chaired by Meena Khan Afridi at the Local Government Secretariat, the members of the National and Provincial Assemblies from Peshawar were also in attendance.
Representatives of the Local Government, Construction & Communications, Irrigation, and Public Health Engineering Departments informed the meeting about the various stages of the implementation of the Smart City project. Among the issues that they discussed were sanitation, drainage, road expansion, flood control, waste management, clean drinking water, parks, underpasses, vegetable markets, and bus stands. The involvement of the members of the provincial assembly in giving their suggestions for the plan was also acknowledged by the officials.
Some of the key decisions made in the meeting were:
Relocating illegal vegetable markets to new places to enhance the flow of traffic and cleanliness.
Introducing a small charge for the use of facilities in city parks.
Submitting plans for slaughterhouses and cemeteries as part of the Smart Social and Cultural Component.
Fixing the tube wells that have been out of use to enhance the water supply network.
He also stated that it should not take much time for them to prepare the plans, drawings, and reports. As per his view, the key objective of the project is to transform Peshawar into a contemporary city having the latest facilities. Additionally, it should be mentioned that she declared emphatically that serving the city is the shared responsibility of everyone.
Furthermore, the minister spoke of the positive change in Peshawar being very clear by June 2026 and that the local MNAs and MPAs whose voices would be heard most probably, will be taken into consideration carefully.
