KARACHI, Jan 16: A number of thoroughfares of the city have been in dilapidated condition for long, causing immense inconvenience to both motorists and pedestrians.

The worst affected roads include Shahrah-i-Quaideen, the Society Office roundabout, one track of the Sindhi Muslim Cooperative Housing Society (from the Sharea Faisal intersection to the SMCHS roundabout), different major arteries of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, PECHS Block 2, Orangi Town, Mauripur, SITE industrial Area and Federal B. Area.

Besides, single tracks of some other roads continue to serve as two-way ones as their other tracks, dug up a long time back for reconstruction, have not been completed during their stipulated period. These roads include the main University Road (from Gulshan Town Municipal administration’s office to New Town roundabout), the main Shahrah-i-Pakistan (from Aisha Manzil to Sohrab Goth), a portion of Shahrah-i-Orangi, Kashmir Road and Tipu Sultan Road.

Ironically, the recently-carpeted/reconstructed single tracks of such roads are being damaged as they have been taking the load of vehicular traffic of their dug-up sides as well.

Such a situation could be seen on at least two major arteries of the city – the main University Road and Shahrah-i-Pakistan, whose reconstructed tracks continue to be used by vehicular traffic moving in either direction.

Moreover, an important street of Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block 13-D, which serves as a major link road, between Gulshan-i-Iqbal and Federal B. Area via Sehba Akhtar Road, has been in a shambles for long, causing hardship to motorists. The road was already in poor condition, but the recurring menace of overflowing gutters has devastated its different portions.

Similarly, a portion of the recently-carpeted main University Road, in front of Bait-ul-Mukarram Masjid, is fast being ruined by the frequent leakages taking place there for the last couple of months. As water coming out from some leaking pipelines often remains stagnant there, not only the bitumen of the newly-constructed road is fast diminishing, but the nearby manholes have also been exposed, causing severe jolts to motorists as well as bikers.

As for the Society Office roundabout and a portion of Shahrah-i-Quaideen, they have already become impassable as a number of sharp-edged gravels have appeared on them, creating immense hardship to motorists taking this route for either going to or coming from the Quaid’s Mausoleum, Shahrah-i-Quaideen Flyover and Tariq Road.

People living near Society Office and Khudadad Colony said the road and the roundabout had been devastated by frequent movement of tankers drawing water from the Rangers-manned Muslimabad hydrants. Water leaking from the tankers’ nozzles had earlier ruined Dadabhoy Nauroji Road, leaving no choice for people living in the nearby Muslimabad, Catholic Colony, Khudadad Colony, Shikarpur Colony and Amil Colony to abandon this major road, which links the PPP Secretariat roundabout to the Society Office, the affected resident said.