KARACHI, Aug 23: A major road of Federal B’ Area, starting from Aisha Manzil traffic intersection to Yaseenabad bridge, has almost become impassable as numerous deep craters and potholes have developed on it in the wake of recent rains.

The road which serves as a vital link between Gulberg Town and Gulshan-i-Iqbal has been lying in such a dilapidated condition that motorists who take this route often complain of receiving heavy jerks and even injuries.

Its surface has become uneven and has lost bitumen layer at a number of places. It is not only frequently used by those residing in both the towns but most of motorists residing in North Nazimabad, North Karachi, Buffer Zone also prefer this route while going to and from their offices as they usually avoid going towards Ibne Sina Road and Sohrab Goth traffic intersection where three underpasses and a flyover are being constructed.

Motorcyclists and those traveling in rickshaws are the worst sufferers as their vehicles often get dis-balanced while passing the through deep potholes or the worn-out portion of the road.

An elderly person calling from Federal B’ Area complained that it is since Monday that he has been having acute pain in his spinal cord owing to a big jerk which he had received while traveling in a rickshaw on the bartered road, near Mukka Chowk.

The road is, on the one hand, has been lying in a bad shape and, on the other, its footpaths on either sides have been heavily encroached upon by tea stalls, fast food shops, juice and ice-cream parlors, thus compelling the pedestrians to walk on the busy road amidst moving vehicles.

A number of accidents involving pedestrians have already taken place on the road, especially between Aisha Manzil and Bhaijan Chowk as, on the one hand, its both the footpaths have been illegally occupied by the shopkeepers selling food and other items and, on the other, motorists in their bid to have short-cut to Aisha Manzil traffic intersection suddenly appear before vehicular traffic moving towards Mukka Chowk from opposite direction, creating chaotic condition on the road.

During a visit to the road one would see that on the one hand, it has become dangerous for driving owing to its uneven surface, presence of a number of deep potholes and, on the other, its two roundabouts — one near Qarni Hospital and other near Shell petrol pump — which were dug up a couple of months ago for laying pipelines had not been properly filled.

Haphazard parking in front of marriage halls which have sprung up adjacent to a roundabout, near Comprehensive School’s lawn, create hindrance in the smooth flow of traffic proceeding towards Yaseenabad bridge.