Delayed progress: Seven days past, repair of Water Pump flyover yet to wind up
Bridge was closed on March 4 when a crater-like pothole emerged on one of its tracks
Bridge was closed on March 4 when a crater-like pothole emerged on one of its tracks. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
Despite a lapse of seven days, the repair work on the Water Pump flyover on Sharae Pakistan has yet to be completed.
The bridge was closed on Friday, March 4, when a crater-like pothole emerged on one of the tracks of the flyover, which runs towards Sohrab Goth from Water Pump Chowrangi. Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) started repair work on the day when the pothole developed on the track, which was then closed for traffic. On the other hand, KMC's project director for the said flyover, Shabihul Hassan, claimed that day that the repair work would be completed by Sunday, March 6.
Keeping the long term in mind
Talking about why the repair work has taken so long, Hassan said that they could have just filled the pothole with concrete by Sunday. However, he said, that would not have been good for the long term as internal cracks had developed on a greater area.
Therefore, the KMC decided to replace the entire slab so as to mitigate the chances of allowing the internal cracks to expand. Hassan added that the KMC emphasised on repairing this bridge utilising all their capacities.
"These flyovers are made to bear the burden of moving load instead of load at halt," explained Hassan. "We have requested the transporters many times to use the Northern Bypass but only a few of them use it, which has caused a great influx of heavy traffic in the city".
Talking about the completion of the repair work, Hassan said that it will be done by today (Friday) but since the material requires some time to adjust in the surface, the flyover will be open for traffic by Wednesday.
Traffic congestion and goods transporters
The traffic situation at Sharae Pakistan takes a turn for the worse during the evenings these days when heavy traffic coming from the port and industrial areas starts approaching this thoroughfare to reach Super Highway. Commuters have had to wait for 30 minutes to cover this segment from Water Pump to Sohrab Goth, which usually takes less than five minutes.
The most affected are the goods transporters as Sharae Pakistan is one of those thoroughfares that connect the city with the rest of the country. Complaining about the slow pace of repair work, Khalid Khan of the Karachi Goods Carrier Association told The Express Tribune that the transporters are facing delays in the supply of goods since the flyover was closed for traffic.
Khan said that now most of the transporters are using the Northern Bypass, which makes them travel another 70 kilometres.
Meanwhile, the traffic police personnel at the site told The Express Tribune that they have to somehow manage the situation. Traffic ASI Muhammad Anwar also mentioned that since the goods transporters are now using the Northern Bypass, it has neutralised the situation of traffic at Sharae Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2016.
Despite a lapse of seven days, the repair work on the Water Pump flyover on Sharae Pakistan has yet to be completed.
The bridge was closed on Friday, March 4, when a crater-like pothole emerged on one of the tracks of the flyover, which runs towards Sohrab Goth from Water Pump Chowrangi. Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) started repair work on the day when the pothole developed on the track, which was then closed for traffic. On the other hand, KMC's project director for the said flyover, Shabihul Hassan, claimed that day that the repair work would be completed by Sunday, March 6.
Keeping the long term in mind
Talking about why the repair work has taken so long, Hassan said that they could have just filled the pothole with concrete by Sunday. However, he said, that would not have been good for the long term as internal cracks had developed on a greater area.
Therefore, the KMC decided to replace the entire slab so as to mitigate the chances of allowing the internal cracks to expand. Hassan added that the KMC emphasised on repairing this bridge utilising all their capacities.
"These flyovers are made to bear the burden of moving load instead of load at halt," explained Hassan. "We have requested the transporters many times to use the Northern Bypass but only a few of them use it, which has caused a great influx of heavy traffic in the city".
Talking about the completion of the repair work, Hassan said that it will be done by today (Friday) but since the material requires some time to adjust in the surface, the flyover will be open for traffic by Wednesday.
Traffic congestion and goods transporters
The traffic situation at Sharae Pakistan takes a turn for the worse during the evenings these days when heavy traffic coming from the port and industrial areas starts approaching this thoroughfare to reach Super Highway. Commuters have had to wait for 30 minutes to cover this segment from Water Pump to Sohrab Goth, which usually takes less than five minutes.
The most affected are the goods transporters as Sharae Pakistan is one of those thoroughfares that connect the city with the rest of the country. Complaining about the slow pace of repair work, Khalid Khan of the Karachi Goods Carrier Association told The Express Tribune that the transporters are facing delays in the supply of goods since the flyover was closed for traffic.
Khan said that now most of the transporters are using the Northern Bypass, which makes them travel another 70 kilometres.
Meanwhile, the traffic police personnel at the site told The Express Tribune that they have to somehow manage the situation. Traffic ASI Muhammad Anwar also mentioned that since the goods transporters are now using the Northern Bypass, it has neutralised the situation of traffic at Sharae Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 11th, 2016.