Sir,

I recently visited the Mazar-i-Quaid. It was painful to see the conditions of the mausoleum. Garbage lay everywhere, bushes were not pruned and there were stray dogs all around thetomb structure in the gardens.

Moreover, dirty benches and overflowing dustbins shocked and astonished me and my family. What a well-maintained area of Karachi this used to be; now it looks like any other barren park with unkempt grounds.

When I also visited the National Museum recently, again it was in a mess. Several ancient items seemed to be missing and many were in the worst condition.

As usual the souvenir shop was closed and the canteen was without staff. When I entered the museum all items at the entrance were removed while there was no museum staff present to accompany or give details of the exhibits.

Similarly, there was neither a help desk nor a reception. The glass screens placed to secure objects were coated with a thick layer of dust while the fans were either closed or notfunctional. Several rooms like the coin gallery were closed while others were in questionable condition.

This was all very surprising for me. It is a matter of great concern that our historical sites are at risk of getting destroyed.

Regarding maintenance of these historical sites, the respective institutions should work to improve conditions of both the places. They should also initiate promotion of such significant assets of our nation so that the public, especially the youth, visits and regards such places and honours them in the fashion which they deserve.

KHURRAM JAHANGIR KHANGulshan-i-Iqbal

Traffic management

Sir,

There is general mayhem in front of the City Courts, where advocates and pedestrians struggle to cross the road as the traffic continues to flow unabated. The traffic signal just before the City Courts and the one immediately after are either not working or are being violated while no traffic police personnel seem to be posted there.

Short-term measures to avert any mishap and to facilitate the public crossing this awfully busy road may include: the presence of traffic police personnel and operational traffic signals; timing the traffic signals appropriately and the provision of zebra crossings.

A long-term measure, relatively a costly option, is to build an overhead bridge in front of the City Courts. Obviously, similar short- and long-term measures need to be considered and implemented elsewhere in the city given the expanding traffic management issues.

RUKHSANA YAHYAKarachi

Flooding fears

Sir,

I am a resident of Bath Island, an old locality which used to get flooded after heavy rains.

Four years ago we were provided with storm-water drains, which mitigated the problem. But then some apartment buildings, with clogged drains, started to divert their sewage into these drains by cutting through roads and laying pipelines directly into these drains.

Now there is standing water in these drains at all times, and we wonder where will the rainwater go.

The other day machinery was brought in to clean out the sludge, but it doesn’t seem to have solved the problem as the water remains. No effort was made to close the sewerage pipes or to penalise the residents for illegal road-cutting as well as the diversion of sewage.

Though we blame the civic agencies, the problems are actually caused by thoughtless people with no civic sense.

NAME WITHHELDVia email

mailbag@dawn.com