Residents Protest Closure of Ring Road Access Route

Residents and landowners from Maira Mohra staged a protest against the closure of a public access route near the Maira Mohra Interchange on the Rawalpindi Ring Road, demanding the restoration of access to their agricultural land.

The demonstrators urged Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to intervene, saying the recently installed fencing has blocked a route that local communities have used for decades.

The protest was led by PML-N leader Raja Ilyas Kyani, former chairman Zia Mahmood Chaudhry, and other local representatives. They argued that the blocked route is part of the official revenue record and should not have been closed under the Punjab government’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the Ring Road project.

According to the protesters, authorities had earlier assured residents that existing public routes would remain accessible through underpasses where necessary. They also claimed officials had indicated that any surplus acquired land would be returned to its original owners.

The residents said the fencing has cut off the only access to their farmland, creating serious difficulties for farmers and landowners. They called on the provincial government to restore the historic route or provide a permanent alternative.

The protesters warned they would continue peaceful demonstrations if authorities failed to resolve the issue and ensure permanent access to their agricultural land.