Police ban heavy traffic on Sunset Boulevard, Mai Kolachi

Move taken to reduce traffic gridlocks in the city

KARACHI: Traffic in the city has gone from bad to worse in recent days leading the traffic police department to finally take an initiative to resolve traffic gridlocks, they have banned entry of heavy vehicles on certain thoroughfares of the city.

Experts have termed this decision 'inessential' and 'ineffective', as they believe the solution to the problem lies in sincere planning.



A notification was issued on January 13 but made public on Wednesday by Karachi commissioner Ejaz Ahmed Khan, which says that due to traffic gridlocks in the city, heavy traffic will not be allowed to enter the following areas: Jam Sadiq Bridge, Korangi Road, Sunset Boulevard, Punjab Colony at Submarine traffic light, KPT Underpass Clifton and Boat Basin up to Mai Kolachi.

The notification was issued after consultation between traffic DIG Asif Aijaz Sheikh and commissioner Khan.

According to traffic engineer Asher Lodhi, such a move by the government is akin to taking a pill for a headache while the actual injury is in the leg.

How will a ban on heavy traffic on certain roads in District South help resolve traffic problems on Sharae Faisal, Sharae Quaideen, University Road, Sharae Pakistan or in Nazimabad, which are in other districts of the city? he asked.

He pointed out that the authorities have no planning and only believe in making roads again and again.

Lodhi said in the past few years the city's traffic situation has worsened considerably. He added that this is not because of the increase of number of vehicles or limited road capacity but the quality of the roads, which decreases the speed of the vehicle and leads to huge cues on main arteries.

The traffic engineer added that the authorities have to ensure two things in order to get rid of daily traffic gridlock - high quality roads and fewer U-turns or places to turn off.



Citizens have also termed this decision as an ineffective move. Banker Muhammad Atif said he lives in District Central while his office is at II Chundrigar Road and it takes around one-and-a-half hours or more to reach home in the evening. It seems like the government has no planning and after a few months they come up with a similar 'solution' like banning heavy traffic, while the citizens must suffer the stress.

DIG Sheikh said eventually this heavy traffic from District South heads towards Sharae Faisal and other districts of the city, therefore the decision to ban heavy traffic has been taken in these particular areas and soon a similar plan will be implemented in other areas as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2017.