HUB is a tehsil of Lasbela district located at the junction of Sindh-Balochistan. As Hub is located at the tail-end of Karachi it attracts local and foreign investors.

They set up their industrial units at Hub. At present, apart from Hubco, Byco Oil Refinery and Attock Cement, more than 200 industrial units are operating in Hub. This industrialisation and commercialisation have changed its demography.

Once a little town with a few houses, it has now become a town of a million souls and has turned into an industrial and commercial hub. It is also considered the biggest industrial park, having 90pc of Balochistan industries.

An increased population and transport have put up massive pressure on its roads. Vehicles carrying heavy load have also added to the congestion. Qingqis and motorcycles have multiplied traffic problems. Traffic jams are a routine. The local administration is a mere spectator and does not take action against traffic violators and unlicensed teenage drivers.

All these factors have contributed to traffic hazards. The rate of accidents is said to be higher than in any other metropolitan city. There are no traffic signals in this industrial city. This situation is badly affecting development and industrialisation of Hub. If this continues, industrialists might be forced to move their units to somewhere else.

There should be an alternative route to ensure a smooth traffic flow. The authorities concerned should immediately build the Hub bypass to ease traffic.

Junaid Ahmed Roonjo

Hub

Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2015

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