Get ready to commute an extra mile to reach Garuda Mall if you are driving from the Mayo Hall Junction. With Magrath Road yet to be opened to traffic, the traffic police, fed up of the contra traffic opposite Garuda Mall, will soon convert the Football Stadium periphery road to a rotary. The traffic police have worked out a detailed traffic alternative for the Garuda Mall junction to streamline traffic in the Central Business District. Now, vehicles travelling from Mayo Hall junction along the Central Mall have to make a left turn at Garuda Mall junction and reach the mall after going around Football Stadium. To achieve this, the stretch between the Football Stadium and Garuda Mall on Commisariat Road will be turned into a one-way.
M. A. Saleem, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) defended the plan. “This will avoid confusion about changing lanes on Commisariat Road. With contra traffic, there were accidents and vehicles entering wrong lanes. Now that the road will be one-way, there is less scope for confusion. The vehicles coming to Garuda Mall from the city can use Magrath Road which is open from the War Memorial junction end till the parking of Garuda Mall.”
Mr Suhail Yusuff, secretary, Brigade’s Shops and Establishments Association, says there’s no point in making vehicles run an extra mile to reach the Mall. “Taking a longer route to avoid traffic congestion is no solution. Instead, the contra traffic can be turned into correct lane traffic,” he said.