KARACHI, Aug 2: The plan to expand Malir City road into a double track carriageway has hit snags owing to the encroachments along the road which have emerged on the portion between Jinnah Square and Malir City.

It is the second major road of the township, running between Malir-15 on Sharea Faisal and Saudabad.

In the absence of double track, motorists and commuters often face problems, and there is a constant danger of accidents. Pedestrians, especially schoolchildren, find it difficult to cross the road because of the unruly traffic.

Although minibuses and mazdas were earlier used to be blamed for traffic violations, but with the induction of large UTS buses people have to be more cautious.

Inquiries revealed that although some portions of the road had a central island with grills some five years back, but the island was dismantled during a previous renovation of the road under the Khushhal Pakistan Programme. Moreover, the road was also not expanded, but was permanently made a single track.

Area people regretted that as houses and shops were being built on the land meant for expansion of the road, the authorities maintained a silence, and now they were presenting lame excuses for not making it a double road even after the passage of over four decades.

They lamented that Malir City road, one of the oldest roads in the city, continues to be a victim of official neglect and even the elected representatives failed to implement a plan for its dualization even after over four decades.

Mushroom growth of warehouses, garages and units along the road has been creating problems for motorists and pedestrians. Even the service lane is in the occupation of land-grabbers. The extension of a mosque and an Imam Bargah near Jafar Tayyar are also hurdles in the extension of the road.

Area people said that traffic was increasing on the road with the passage of time, there was a need for dualizaiton of the road.

They said at a number of other places, shops were built on government land during the last several years and the agencies concerned failed to take any action. Even bus stops at Jinnah Square, Kala Board and Lal Masjid are not being spared where shops are being built.

Similarly an entire roundabout was encroached in front of Malir’s Liaquat Market where a mini-shopping centre has been built.

The town has also surrendered a footpath of the Begum Khursheed Road, and has obliged shopkeepers. Encroachments at a number of places have reduced width of roads in Malir.