KARACHI, Feb 27: Several roads in the city have been dug up at various places causing disruption in traffic flow and subsequent congestions of vehicles at different spots increasing hardships of motorists and commuters.

Traffic congestions were witnessed on roads connecting Gulshan-i-Iqbal with Federal B. Area, as the city government has dug up roads simultaneously connecting these two areas at Yasinabad, Gilani railway crossing and Gharibabad. All the three connecting points were crammed full of vehicles at both ends on Monday, as the vehicles either intended to enter Federal B. Area or Gulshan-i-Iqbal were stuck up. At all such places, traffic police officials were not seen and the traffic was beyond their control. Many motorists spent hours to get out of the traffic mess.

Besides, Garden Road was dug up and left unattended many days back forcing motorists and public transport vehicles to take alternative route, which was not carpeted as well. Even some of the busiest roads like I.I. Chundrigar Road, Business Recorder Road near Lasbella Bridge, Abdullah Haroon Road, Deen Mohammad Wafai Road, S.M. Taufeeq Road in Liaquatabad, Sharah-i-Pakistan at Water Pump intersection were left unattended after digging.

The New M.A. Jinnah Road, which was closed and dug up for repair almost a year back, is yet to be carpeted. Due to the closure of one track of the dual carriageway, two-way traffic has been allowed on the other track posing threat of accidents and traffic chaos. The issue was highlighted intermittently in media but there was no word from the city government about expediting the completion of the road work.

People blamed the city government for not disseminating enough information about the development work before digging any road. They said the government should install signs on roads about development work in progress at a distant point from where people could at least take an alternative route. It has been observed that people after reaching the point where development work is in progress do not find a way except to take a U-turn. This situation leads to terrible traffic congestions, people claimed.

“In our country, there is no concept of proper planning before initiating a project. If the government wants to launch any road development work, it should intimate people before launching the project so that people could plan their way out,” a concerned citizen said.

People said that initiating development work simultaneously at various points without keeping in view the problems of people was incomprehensible.

They suggested the government to take advantage of television channels and radio stations for disseminating information about traffic situation so that people could be told about traffic congestions in time. Besides, they said, the government should be careful of digging up various roads simultaneously.