LAHORE – Lahore residents could face major travel disruptions on Sunday as Lahore Traffic Police announced sweeping road closures, one-way traffic restrictions and phased vehicle evacuation plan ahead of concluding prayers of annual Raiwind Ijtema.
Under special traffic arrangements, all major roads leading to Raiwind will remain closed to regular traffic for seven hours, from 6:00 AM to 1:00 PM on November 8, 2026, as authorities prepare to manage the departure of thousands of participants from the religious gathering.
The restrictions will affect key routes connecting Lahore with Raiwind, while movement towards Raiwind City and the Ijtema venue will also be suspended during the designated hours.
Traffic Restrictions
According to the traffic management plan, several heavily travelled routes will operate under a temporary one-way system to accommodate the anticipated surge in vehicles following the concluding prayers.
Traffic will be regulated in designated one-way directions on routes connecting Pajian Mor, Qizilbash Chowk and Thokar Niaz Baig, while vehicles carrying Ijtema participants will be directed along a one-way route between Bhobtian Chowk and Mohlanwal.
Similar arrangements will be enforced on Sundar Road, Manga Road, Kot Radha Kishan Road and Sue-e-Asal Road, where traffic police will control vehicle movement to prevent congestion and ensure participants can leave the area safely. The measures are expected to significantly affect routine traffic, particularly motorists travelling between Lahore and its southern outskirts.
Motorway and Ring Road Travel
Authorities announced that motorists travelling on the motorway and Lahore Ring Road will not be permitted to take exits towards Raiwind during the evacuation operation. Traffic Police have also imposed a temporary prohibition on road crossings along Raiwind Road, Manga Road, Sundar Road and Mohlanwal Road.
Officials said these restrictions are aimed at keeping departure routes clear and preventing conflicting traffic movements as large numbers of vehicles leave the gathering simultaneously.
CTO Lahore Abdul Rahim Shirazi said traffic authorities have developed a three-stage evacuation strategy to manage the massive movement of vehicles following the final prayers. Rather than allowing all vehicles to leave at once, police will clear parking areas according to vehicle categories. Bikes and rickshaws will be evacuated first, followed by cars and vans in the second phase. Buses and trucks will depart in the final stage once traffic conditions become manageable.
The phased approach is intended to minimise bottlenecks and prevent prolonged traffic jams on the roads surrounding Raiwind.
To enforce the special arrangements, Lahore Traffic Police have mobilised additional traffic wardens and deployed office personnel on field assignments. Traffic officials will supervise major intersections, diversion points and vehicle departure routes throughout the operation. CTO Abdul Rahim Shirazi said normal traffic movement would be restored gradually as pressure on the road network decreases.
Citizens have been advised to avoid Raiwind Road on Sunday noon and use alternative routes wherever possible.
