KARACHI, Sept 13: At a time when over two dozen major roads of the city are still dug up, citizens apprehend massive traffic jams on various main thoroughfares throughout Ramazan, particularly when the faithful will be returning home from their workplaces for Iftar.

As a mad rush of vehicular traffic during Ramazan normally starts moving in one direction between 4pm till Iftar, the ploughed roads and other thoroughfares, which are lying in a highly dilapidated condition, will create obstructions in the smooth movement of traffic, thus adding to the miseries of commuters.

Moreover, the sharp-edged gravel on those roads which have been opened for traffic without undertaking carpeting work will force motorists to drive at a snail’s pace, also resulting in traffic snarl-ups.

In addition to this, several localities of the city have almost been locked as a number of their surrounding roads have been dug up either for their re-construction or for laying storm-water drains and pipelines, thus compelling the residents to use just one road while entering or exiting their neighbourhoods.

Some of the localities whose two and even three exit and entry points have either been partially closed for vehicular traffic because of ploughed roads or stagnant sewage include Pakistan Chowk, Haqqani Chowk, Paper Market, GPO Quarters, Saddar, Empress Market, Bohri Bazaar, Federal B. Area’s Blocks 7, 8, 9 and 14, Adamjee Nagar, Al-Hamra Society, Bangalore Town, a portion of Mohammad Ali Society, Gulshan-i-Iqbal’s Block 14 and some parts of Gulistan-i-Jauhar.

For instance people residing in Adamjee Nagar and Bangalore Town have either been using a narrow street situated behind Makkah Masjid or a service road running parallel to Sharea Faisal as both the major surrounding roads – Tipu Sultan Road and Mohammad Ali Road -- have been lying dug up for the last eight months.

Even the service road through which residents have access to their localities has been partially ploughed.

Similarly, people residing in the Haqqani Chowk and Pakistan Chowk areas and near Paper Market are having a tough time as three major roads surrounding their localities -- Outram Road, Dr Ziauddin Road and I.I. Chundrigar Road – have been dug up while a number of surrounding streets are filled with sewage.