Burns Road being pedestrianised

Street will be closed for traffic in evening from January 10

One of Karachi's oldest food streets, Burns Road, is being pedestrainised and will be closed for traffic in the evenings, from 7pm, January 10 onwards.

Commuters will also be restricted from parking their vehicles in the street after the stated time from January 10.

Meanwhile, residents living in the street's vicinity will be issued stickers for their vehicles, and only vehicles with the stickers will be permitted to be parked in the street.

Besides, vehicles will be allowed to travel on a patch of the street in case of emergency situations and valet parking will be available at both ends of the street to facilitate visitors.

The street is being pedestrianised on the directives of South deputy commissioner (DC) Irshad Ahmed Sodhar.

In a notification issued on Wednesday, the DC instructed the relevant officials to close the street - a strip of Sharae Liaquat extending from Fresco Chowk and Court Road intersection- for traffic from 7pm, after which traffic on the right side of the street will be diverted towards MA Jinnah Road and that on the left side towards Peoples Square.

According to the notification, three streets on either side of Burns Road will also be pedestrianised.

The South DC further told The Express Tribune that no restaurants would be allowed to encroach the street following its pedestrianisation.

"It is our responsibility to provide a clean and healthy environment to citizens," he added. "Besides, the initiative has also been taken to support the business community."

Claiming that Burns Road was the first spot in the city that was being pedestrainised, he said all buildings along it would be illuminated after 7pm and pavements running along it would be renovated.

Arambagh assistant commissioner Imran Nazir said that all pre-partition heritage buildings on the street will also be properly cleaned and others will be painted.

"We are making all necessary arrangements [for the street's pedestrianisation]," he assured.

The DC claimed that heritage experts had been consulted and heritage buildings on the street would be clean as per their advice.

Appreciating the move, a restaurant owner running an eatery on the street said, "It is a great initiative and we welcome it."

He added that the lack of parking space affected traffic flow on the street, in addition to disturbing business.

"Visitors face difficulties even while walking on the street," he complained.

Similarly, Tahir Khan, who lives near Burns Road, was of the view that pedestrainisation would see the return of the street's lost glory.

"At present, people hesitate to visit it as it remains crowded and congested, while the [relevant] authorities continue to show a lack of interest in making things right," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 7^th, 2021.