DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Muhammad Irfan Mughal | January 1, 2026
BY Muhammad Momin Mughal
To address persistent traffic congestion on the Dera–Darya Khan bridge linking Dera Ismail Khan with Punjab’s Bhakkar district, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab police have agreed on a coordinated traffic management plan amid the ongoing sugarcane harvesting season.
The bridge has witnessed severe traffic disruptions in recent weeks due to a heavy influx of sugarcane-laden trolleys, leaving commuters stranded for hours and causing widespread inconvenience. The situation prompted District Police Officer (DPO) Dera Ismail Khan Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada to contact police officials in Bhakkar to devise a joint strategy.
As part of the initiative, DSP Traffic Chen Shah, along with his team, visited the Dera–Darya Khan bridge and held detailed consultations with relevant Punjab police officers to address the issue.
Speaking on the occasion, DSP Chen Shah said the bridge, which is nearly 40 years old, was in a deteriorated condition at several points. He noted that the uncontrolled movement of heavy trolleys during the sugarcane season had not only caused prolonged traffic jams but also posed a serious risk to the structural safety of the bridge.
He said that after mutual consultation, both police departments decided to implement a regulated traffic flow system. Under the plan, five sugarcane-laden trolleys will be allowed to cross from the Punjab side toward Dera Ismail Khan at a time. After they pass, traffic will be halted briefly before allowing five trolleys from the Dera Ismail Khan side to move toward Punjab.
“At any given time, only five trolleys will be permitted to cross the bridge to ensure smooth traffic flow and to avoid placing excessive load on the already fragile structure,” DSP Chen Shah said.
He added that future planning had also been finalised to prevent similar disruptions in the coming days. The DSP expressed hope that the joint coordination with Punjab police would help eliminate unnecessary congestion and ensure uninterrupted traffic movement for residents of both districts.
Further measures, he said, had also been agreed upon to facilitate safe and smooth transportation and to minimise inconvenience for commuters using the bridge.
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