HYDERABAD, Dec 2: The ill-scheduled development works launched in the city without making arrangements for smooth flow of traffic lead to the worst traffic gridlocks in some of the busiest areas near main markets and bazaars but nobody in the local government or police seem perturbed by the chaos on the roads.

The taluka municipal administration (TMA) of city taluka headed by Javed Jabbar has perhaps no proper understanding of civic problems of his area as the TMA seems least concerned about illegal car parking and encroachments along roads, major contributors to gridlocks.

Traffic situation in Latifabad taluka is relatively better except for Shah Makki road and its periphery where the city’s first flyover is under construction.

People feel more frustrated when they do not find anyone to complain to about the problem as the district government officials dismiss under the pretext of ongoing development works.

Roads and streets around Hyder Bux Jatoi and Bacha Khan roundabouts, Qazi Abdul Qayyum road, Holmstead Hall, Faqir Jo Pir Chowk, Cloth Market and Qadam Gah Maula Ali are the worst hit areas where even traffic police find it beyond their power to regulate traffic. Only two policemen are posted there but one is mostly seen at the nearby sweet shop trying to overcome his appetite.

Traffic coming from Guru Naga area, Paretabad and Cloth Market normally leads to a gridlock at Faqir Jo Pir roundabout. Even the deputy convenor of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Dr. Farooq Sattar had to walk on foot to the MQM zonal office at Bhai Khan Ki Chari after his car was stuck up in traffic jam at Gari Khata (Hyder Chowk) roundabout last night.

On Sunday, people stuck up in traffic jam at Faqir Jo Pir Chowk complained that it took them around 50 minutes to leave the area only to be faced another gridlock at Holmstead Hall and Sultan Hotel roundabout.

Majority of people avoid visiting the traffic-troubled areas during the course of the day. Lack of sense of responsibility by TMA officials as well as traffic police cause deadlocks on the roads near Holmstead hall, Qadam Gah Maula Ali and Qazi Abdul Qayyum road where work on sewerage lines is under way.

Work on laying water supply lines is going on at Wasa’s Tulsidas station which leads to traffic problem on Bacha Khan roundabout and Qazi Qayyum road.

The district government did clear encroachments in front of Cloth Market but the presence of pushcarts and donkey-carts, which quickly replaced the encroachments, has made smooth flow of traffic difficult.

When the district government had launched major development works of sewerage, District Nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil had formed a committee comprising Israr Ahmed, Q. Mohammad Hakim and Rashid Khan to take care of traffic-related issues and ensure smooth flow of vehicles on the roads.

At the outset the committee did work seriously but then reduced the job to a mere exercise in public-relationing after developing contacts with policemen.

“Yes I know the city faces serious traffic jams and I have also asked the local body people who were entrusted with the job of ensuring smooth flow of traffic. Farooq Sattar Bhai also spoke to me on the on Saturday night when he visited the zonal office,” said Mohammad Sharif, MQM’s zonal in-charge.

There is an argument about shortage of traffic policemen in the city. It is learnt that around 57 policemen are working in the city area while 40 are working in the posh locality of cantonment alone.

Traffic police blame pushcarts and donkey-carts for traffic problems and say it is not their job to remove them or the encroachments.