Pedestrian bridge on the verge of falling

KARACHI: The pedestrian bridge on one of the busiest roads leading to Mai Kolachi from Tower is wrecked due to constant collision of excessively high trucks and containers.

The Karachi Port Trust built the pedestrian bridge to facilitate people crossing this busy road; however the bridge now presents a disastrous picture. As overloaded trucks and containers, that are higher than the allowed clearance for vehicles pass through the road, they constantly hit and dent the overhead bridge. This is why the 35-feet-long beam places on the pillar of the bride have been damaged. These conditions suggest that the bridge can collapse any time and has become a danger for pedestrians and cars passing beneath.

The traffic police officer Manzoor Hussain deployed at the traffic chowki at Mai Kolachi Road said that they don't allow the overloaded containers during the day time but the vehicles pass through at night when the traffic personnel isn't there. According to Hussain, these vehicles must be charged with heavy penalties on violating the law. The locals say that despite threats they are compelled to use this passage as there is no other way to cross the busy road.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th, 2018.