KARACHI: Shifting of illegal bus termini in doldrums
KARACHI, April 9: Contrary to the tall claims by city government about hectic efforts for the solution to the problems pertaining to the inter-cities buses and termini, no improvement is visible and the situation appeared quite frustrating for the people who had high expectations.
Unlawfully established bus termini in different parts of the city continue adding to the people’s miseries as they have long been causing immense hardship to passersby, residents as well as commuters. These illegal facilities also lead to intermittent but prolonged traffic jams elsewhere in the city.
According to a survey conducted by Traffic Engineering Bureau (TEB) in 1999, some 125 long-distance bus termini prevailed throughout the metropolis and majority of them were operating within the road reservation, in parks and playgrounds. The survey had clearly indicated that a big majority of long-distance buses had to penetrate into the heart of the city in order to reach their destination. Many originate/terminate in clusters at following spots: Manghopir Road (Banaras Chowk), University Road (Sabzi Mandi), Lea Market (Sheedi Village), M. A. Jinnah Road (Taj Complex), Cantt Station, Super Highway (Sohrab Goth), Mauripur Road (Wazir Mansion), Landhi (Dawood Chowrangi), Business Recorder Road (Patel Para), Aga Khan-III Road (Makki Masjid) and Karimabad.
The report had observed that upon arrival on the outskirts of the city, many of the buses carry full or heavy load of passengers but while on way to the final destination, they usually had very low number or no passengers.
In view of this situation, the report had suggested that the terminal facility to the inter-cities buses be provided at three different entry/exit points of the city — RCD Highway, Super Highway and National Highway.
The proposed sites for the construction of termini had already been identified by the TEB in consultation with district administrations. However, following the introduction of new local government system in 2001, Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC), Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and several other such institutions have been devolved into the city government.
Karachiites had been expecting that the elected representatives would evolve clear and effective policies to resolve the perennial problem once and for all by establishing bus termini in the required number outside the city limits. This could not happen despite passage of more than one-and-a-half years.
Inter-cities buses in a large number can be seen parked or kept standing in ready-to-go position at unlawfully established termini outside the offices of their operators and most of such offices did exist in congested areas and busy thoroughfares.
In the past, half-hearted attempts were made by some of the town Nazims to remove such termini in their respective areas but their efforts proved futile as the bus service operators demanded alternative sites to run their business as smoothly as they did at their present places.
Since the Nazims could not guarantee allocation of such sites, the transporters did not move their business out of the city.
One of the such bus termini, established at Taj Complex on M. A. Jinnah Road has become a major source of hardship for the residents and commuters of the most busy arteries around the building. Several scores of long buses used to line up for their onward journey at this spot which most often leads to traffic jam and chaos all around.
Usual traffic at this intersection, part of Saddar, is heavy due to the movement of most of the buses, coasters of local routes as well as private vehicles including school vans.
The worst-hit by the prolonged traffic jam and mess are the students on way to or back from their schools besides businessmen, shopkeepers and workers who used to shuttle between the commercial area and their residences quite frequently. Time, of course, matters for these commuters.
It may be recalled that the Nazim of Lines Area Union Council, Mahfooz-un-Nabi, had once come out with a vigorous campaign against the unlawfully established termini in the area. However, apparently owing to the influence enjoyed by certain bus service operators, he could not succeed in his efforts to get the transport business moved from there. He had finally to give up his efforts.—PPI
