KARACHI, Feb 29: The inordinate delay in undertaking works of Liaquat Flyover's at-grade roads (running parallel to the flyover and underneath both Liaquatabad-Sharea Ibne Sina Road and Karimabad intersections), has become a major source of accidents and hardships to motorists.

Accidents on these roads have become a matter of routine owing to presence of deep potholes in the roads running parallel to the flyover and underneath the busy traffic intersections of both Liaquatabad No.10 and Karimabad.

The flyover, constructed in nine years, was opened for vehicular traffic in April 2001. However, the flyover's remaining works including carpeting of its at-grade roads and installation of traffic signals for regulating the traffic passing underneath the flyover at Liaquatabad No.10 and Karimabad traffic intersections kept on lingering owing to a financial dispute between the city government and the constructing firm.

The traffic that passes beneath both the Liaquatabad No 10 and Karimabad traffic intersections often present a scene of jungle in the absence of traffic signals which have not yet been installed despite a lapse of about three years since opening of the flyover for vehicular traffic.

Flow of traffic passing through both the intersections is hindered as the turnings of the intersections have become rickshaw and taxi stands. Moreover, the drivers of buses, minibuses and coaches used to lift and drop passengers at the turnings of the intersections and yet go unchecked by the traffic police.

The poor condition of the at-grade roads together with presence of a large number of pushcarts selling fruits and other eatable items at these turnings have created a chaotic condition all around the traffic intersections.

In addition, cabins on the footpaths of Bazaar-i-Faisal and Meena Bazaar at Karimabad by Gulberg Town Administration has created inconvenience for the shoppers in particular and pedestrians in general.

Dilapidated condition of the at-grade roads had already claimed lives of two girl students and a motorcyclist about two years back while a number of motorcyclists and their pillion riders had been injured at both the intersections.

The city nazim's coordinator for the works and services department, Abid Ilyas, told Dawn that the remaining works of the flyover, including carpeting of its at-grade roads and provision of traffic signals at both the traffic intersections, would be completed latest by May 2004.

He said that the dispute with the constructing firm had been resolved amicably, recently. He was optimistic that with the completion of all such works, the flow of traffic on the flyover's at-grade roads would improve considerably.