Bumper-to-bumper: Bad traffic day for city as groups condemn police action

ASWJ demonstrate against killing of worker, Gizri residents protested arrest of residents

KARACHI:

The city witnessed traffic gridlocks in various areas throughout Wednesday as multiple protests were held to protest police action.

Members of the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) were protesting the alleged extra-judicial killing of their activist last week, while some residents of Gizri were demonstrating against the police for picking up 'innocent' men from their neighbourhood in connection with the bombing on SP Farooq Awan, who survived a deadly blast last week.

The main protest by the ASWJ on Guru Mandir road affected most main thoroughfares in the city, according to traffic police control department. The worst-affected area was district South that has been affected since the protest began on Tuesday evening.

After the party warned of protesting outside CM House and Governor House, the police had also sealed off the roads leading to the high-security zone. This caused gridlocks on MA Jinnah Road, II Chundrigar Road, Saddar, Jamshed Road, New MA Jinnah Road, Teen Hatti, Pak Colony and Liaquatabad. Traffic was diverted to PIDC and MR Kiyani Road.

The situation worsened during rush hours as thousands of vehicles were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic jams. Some vehicles also took to driving on the wrong side of the road, further worsening the traffic jams.

The traffic sergeants were also seen trying to manage the flow of vehicles using hand gestures as the prolonged signal timings were creating more gridlocks at busy intersections. "If we let the traffic signals operate, then we would have hundreds of vehicles stuck on one side where traffic volume is more as compared to the other side," explained a traffic sergeant on II Chundrigar, who was managing the flow at the intersection of Shaheen Complex.

"I was stuck in traffic everywhere I went since I left my house today," complained Fazal Rehman, who works at an airline office near Karachi Press Club. "The police are here but the roads are so dense that you can't find a way out. All you do is to listen to your car radio and the unwanted songs they play."

Gizri protest

At around 4 pm, scores of residents of Gizri's Bukhsan village took to Punjab Chowrangi, popularly known as Submarine Chowrangi, against the detention of suspected terrorists. As angry protesters pelted stones at moving vehicles, traffic came to halt on Khayaban-e-Hafiz, Sunset Boulevard and all the other adjacent roads.

As people started taking detours, the streets inside DHA were also jammed, made worse by the heavy traffic that was diverted from Korangi Road. "What have I done? Why are you punishing me?" shouted a woman from inside her car to a female protester.

All is well, say police

Meanwhile, Traffic DIG Munir Sheikh insisted that the traffic situation was better than Tuesday. "The protesters took to the streets suddenly and the red zone was close by, which added pressure on other roads," he said. "Now the protests are over but the traffic volume and the pressure will need some time to clear up."

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2014.