KARACHI, Aug 28: In order to overcome the growing traffic problem in Karachi, the city government has decided to gradually remove all encroachments that hinder traffic flow and shift the inter city bus terminals.

Decisions of an immediate and long-term nature were taken in this regard in the light of directives of the Supreme Court at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Karachi DCO Javed Hanif here on Tuesday.

It was decided that encroachments would be gradually removed from 51 places as identified by the traffic police and action would be carried out under a schedule.

Balochistan-bound buses would not be allowed to enter the city and would be parked outside the city while buses entering from the Super Highway would be bound to park at a temporary terminal at Sohrab Goth.

Illegal parking which causes bottlenecks on roads will also be removed.

A technical committee was set up to find practical engineering solutions of an immediate nature and to implement these forthwith. The committee will include senior officials of the transport, communications, traffic police and other departments.

The committee will prepare its recommendations for curtailing pressure at all traffic bottlenecks and submit a report to the DCO within three days.

The committee was told to take stock of those roads where traffic jams occur because of turning points or traffic pressure grows due to the failure of traffic signals or other engineering aspects which can be overcome with minor improvements.

It was decided to rectify all defective traffic signals immediately and the traffic police and transport department would take steps for making them operational.

The meeting was attended by representatives of various transport organisations, DIG Traffic Wajid Durrani, senior officials of different CDGK departments, the cantonment board, KPT and the towns.—APP