KARACHI, Aug 10: More than 50 roundabouts and intersections in various parts of the city need special attention of city government, traffic engineering bureau , traffic police and other departments to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic.
Despite construction of many flyovers at different places in the city, the problem of traffic jams at several busy roads could not be solved yet mainly due to immense vehicular pressure on these roads.
Some of the busiest intersections, including PIDC, Hotel Mehran and Regent Plaza, are the most troublesome places for commuters and traffic police as vehicular traffic remains blocked throughout the day.
With the closure of main Clifton Road and Fatima Jinnah Road for the security reasons, the problem has increased manifolds. The long queues of vehicles could be seen from Hotel Metropole to FTC flyover on Sharea Faisal and adjoining roads linking to it.
In fact some of the busiest roads, including Sharea Faisal, Shahrah-i-Pakistan, Shahrah-i-Liaquat, M.A. Jinnah Road and Shaheed-i-Millat Road, need to become signal free for the proper flow of traffic.
Movement of VIPs on Sharea Faisal is another cause of traffic jams, as on several such occasions the roads linked to Sharea Faisal were closed for general public who had to wait for hours to reach their destinations.
Owing to such movements, traffic flow remains affected at Kala Board, Malir City and even at Quaidabad intersections and scores of people remain stuck on the road for hours.
Shaheen Complex and Tower intersections on I.I. Chundrigar Road are also facing an overwhelming flow of vehicular traffic and people have to wait for long to get through these intersections.
Guru Mandir, Numaish, Prince Cinema, Nishat Cinema, Tibet Centre, Saeed Manzil, Jama Cloth, Arambagh, Light House, Denso Hall, Boulton Market and Motandas Market intersections on M.A. Jinnah Road are the worst places with respect to traffic jams.
Boulton Market, New Chali, Arambagh, Fresco Chowk, Women's College and Masjid Khizra intersections on Shahrah-i-Liaquat are also cause of traffic jams being most populated and busy areas of the city.
Regal Chowk, Abdullah Haroon Road, Zaibunnisa Street, Empress Market and Shahrah-i-Iraq intersections are other such points, which needed immediate attention of city government and traffic police.
Teen Hatti, Daakhana, Naurang, Water Pump and Sohrab Goth intersections on Shahrah-i-Pakistan also remain affected and the worst traffic jams could be seen at these places. The traffic scene is also not different at Lasbela, Albela and Garden intersections on Nishtar Road as well as at Habib Bank Chowrangi, Ghani Chowrangi and Sher Shah Chowrangi.
Nevertheless, commuters often face traffic jams at Lea Market roundabout, Kharadar Road, Golimar No. 1 (Nazimabad), Power House, Diamond Chowrangi in North Karachi and Jail Chowrangi.
West Wharf Road and Keamari Gate No 15 remain affected due to movement of heavy vehicles including trailers throughout the day. Although City Nazim Naimatullah Khan had imposed Section 144 on the entry of heavy traffic in the city in daylight, the movement of heavy vehicles continues unchecked throughout the day.
The traffic flow at some railway crossings is not different from other parts of the city. Residents of Malir, Mehmoodabad and areas in PECHS have to face traffic problems daily at these railway crossings. Besides, encroachments in almost all parts of the city and the growing trend of wrong parking on roads were some other causes of traffic jams. -PPI