THE Jam Sadiq Ali Bridge at Qayyumabad is the fastest link between the port and the 4,000 industries situated in Korangi and Landhi (and the bridge also offers a direct route from Defence/Clifton to the airport via new Faisal Colony flyover). However, its state of disrepair and repeated breakdowns/closures are causing immense problems for the residents and industries of Korangi and Landhi, through long detours and massive traffic jams.

Built over 20 years ago, the bridge has been wearing away for the past few years. Its deck has repeatedly broken down, and even after repairs the holes and lesions remain, hampering the flow of nearly 5,000 heavy vehicles that commute over it daily.

Civil engineers say that repairing the bridge is not a solution because the very substructure, upon which the road of the bridge is laid out, is damaged. Thus, the entire bridge needs to be reconstructed.

The Jam Sadiq Ali Bridge that connects the port area to the Korangi Industrial Area facilitates the transport of raw materials from the port to the industries and the two oil refineries situated in Korangi.

Conversely, it allows transport of exported goods from Korangi and Landhi to the port. But, with the manifold increase in both light and heavy traffic over the years, this small dilapidated bridge is proving to be insufficient for carrying the heavy load.

The Jam Sadiq Ali Bridge also raised safety concerns when in August 2007 Amir Parekh and his driver were killed after a container from the bridge fell on them.

Calls for ensuring safety on the bridge have increased since then, but seem to have fallen on deaf ears as no safety barricades have been placed as yet.

Gaps in the bridge and open drains make movement for small vehicles perilous and insecure.

The Korangi Association for Trade and Industry (KATI) chairman has said that despite his association's repeated attempts to get the attention of the governor, city nazim and other ministers concerned, there has been a general lack of interest in maintaining the 'shaking bridge'.

KATI estimates that reconstructing the bridge could cost somewhere near Rs1bn. A cheaper alternative to this problem, suggested by KATI, is to build a submersible causeway through the dry Malir River, a project with estimated cost of around Rs140m, which would offer an alternative route.

This would also save the Jam Sadiq Ali Bridge from further damage/imminent collapse being caused by heavy container traffic.

We request the city nazim to take up the above project in the best interest of the residents of Karachi and implement the same in his usual record time.

MUNIR BANA
Karachi