Traffic police notify alternate routes

Special stickers issued for vehicles participating in Ashura processions

KARACHI:

The Karachi Traffic Police announced a traffic diversion plan on Monday to ensure the safe and smooth movement of mourning processions, which will move on their traditional routes on the 8th, 9th and 10th of Muharram - August 17(today), 18 and 19 - and notify alternate routes for commuters.

According to the traffic police spokesperson, on all three days, the main procession will start from Nishtar Park and end at Hussainian Iranian Imambargah in Kharadar. During this time, the procession route will be secured by containers.

Vehicles travelling from Sharae Quaideen towards Numaish Chowrangi will not be allowed to move past the Society traffic signal except those having security clearance stickers on the windscreen.

The traffic police have issued special stickers to vehicles intending to take part in the procession after clearance from the special branch, the intelligence wing of the police. The vehicles will be parked at designated places and commuters will have to walk to the imambargah and onward with the procession. “No vehicle will be allowed to ply or park on the route of the rallies,” the spokesperson apprised in a statement issued on the day.

According to the traffic police, the central procession on Muharram 8 (today) will emerge from Nishtar Park at one end of the MA Jinnah Road and will culminate at Hussainian Iranian Imambargah on the other end after passing through the traditional routes.

Read More: ‘Fool-proof security arrangements for Ashura’

The main majlis is to be held at Nishtar Park at 1.30pm and the procession will emerge from the park on Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road then move on to, Father Jaminis Road, Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khurasan Road, Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, Tibet Chowk, MA Jinnah Road, Baba-e-Urdu, Chand Bibi Chowk, Nishtar Road, Nigar Cinema, Altaf Hussain Road, Denso Hall, again MA Jinnah Road, Kharadar Police Station, Bombay Bazar to culminate on Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

Meanwhile, on Muharram 9 (tomorrow), the main procession of Shia scholars will start from Imambargah Martin Road and will reach Nishtar Park at about 2pm where a central majlis will take place. Following the majlis, the mourners will head from Nishtar Park and culminate at Hussainian Iranian Imambargah after passing through the traditional routes of Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Road, Mehfil Shah-e-Khurasan, MA Jinnah Road, then a detour towards Mansfield Street, on to Preedy Street and then back on the MA Jinnah Road to move onward to the Bolton Market, Bombay Bazar, Kharadar and Nawab Mahabat Khanji Road to end at Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

Similarly on the 10th of Muharram (Thursday), the Ashura procession will emerge from Nishtar Park, Sir Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Father Jaminis Road, Mehfil-e-Shah-e-Khurasan, MA Jinnah Mansfield Street, Preedy Street, Tibet Chowk, MA Jinnah Road, Bolton Market, Bombay Bazar Kharadar, Nawab Mahabat Khanji Road, to culminate on Hussainian Iranian Imambargah.

Traffic plan

As soon as the rally leaves Nishtar Park, all the traffic coming from the old city area would be diverted towards Jubilee or Nishtar Road through Soldier Bazar, Bahadur Yar Jang Road, Coast Guard Headquarters and Anklesaria Hospital intersection.

All the traffic travelling from Nazimabad towards MA Jinnah Road will be diverted from Teen Hatti intersection towards Jail Road through Martin Road and all such vehicles will be allowed to travel up to Jail Chowrangi flyover and all these vehicles would be able to reach their destination while passing through Jail Road, Jamshed Road, Dadabhoy Naoroji Road, Kashmir Road, Sharae Quaideen and on to Sharae Faisal.

Similarly, commuters heading from the National Stadium Road towards MA Jinnah Road will be allowed to pass through New MA Jinnah Road. These vehicles will be able to travel to Sharae Faisal through Dadabhoy Naoroji Road, Kashmir Road, Society Traffic Signal and Sharae Quaideen.

All such traffic, which goes from Gulberg and Super Highway towards MA Jinnah Road will be diverted from Liaquatabad No10 towards Nazimabad Chowrangi No2.

The traffic police spokesperson said the participants of rally coming from Nazimabad will join the rally through the routes of Lasbela, Albela Sweets, Garden Jamaat Khana, Soldier Bazar No3 Traffic Signal until Numaish, Liaquatabad, Teenhatti, Jahangir Road, Gurumandir till Numaish, Society Traffic Signal till Numaish, Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Gulshan-e-Iqbal, University Road, Old Sabzi Mandi, Kashmir Road, and from Society Traffic Signal till Numaish.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 17^th, 2021.