Police identify eight ‘dark spots’

DIG Traffic terms lack of infrastructure a major cause of traffic jams

KARACHI:

The traffic police declared eight places in the city as dark spots prone to fatal accidents.

There have been at least three road fatalities at these places in the last two months, subsequently, traffic police have taken extraordinary measures to prevent accidents at the dark spots.

DIG Traffic Ahmed Nawaz, talking to The Express Tribune, said that after his deployment, he reviewed the traffic accidents in different parts of the city and found out that there are eight locations where there have been at least three fatal road accidents in the past few months.

These 'black spots' are three in Eastern District, four in Western District and one in Malir District. The East district includes Natha Khan Bus Stop on Shara Faisal, Federal Urdu University Gulshane-Iqbal Campus on University Road and Baloch Colony Flyover on Shaheed Millat Road.

The West district includes Ali Enterprises Garments Factory on Baldia Town Hub River Road, Noras Chowrangi on Manghopir Road, SITE Avenue near State Avenue near Meezan Bank and Dua Hotel on Maripur Road. Malir district includes a location near Qasim Textile Mills at Quaidabad.

The DIG said that he had issued a formal order to all the SPs concerned to pay special attention to these places and find out the factors due to which accidents have become common here and held immediate meetings with Traffic Engineering Bureau, KMC, Cantonment Boards, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and other concerned agencies.

He added that we must immediately overcome failures to save precious human lives in the near future. DIG Ahmad Nawaz said that there were accidents at these places where many people were injured, but special attention is being paid to these places due to fatal accidents. Most of the accidents on Hub River Road and Mauripur Road were caused by heavy traffic, while water tankers hit motorcyclists on the University Road. Caution: Driving bikes without helmets can cost you your life Talking to Express Tribune, DIG Traffic said that when he looked at the statistics of traffic accidents, he observed that motorcyclists are the biggest victims of traffic accidents during the year.

He said that more than 90 per cent of those killed did not wear helmets, and their motorcycles did not have rearview mirrors on their bikes. He further added that the number of people injured in traffic accidents mainly includes motorcyclists. The DIG has appealed to the citizens to wear helmets while riding their bikes for their safety. Better traffic engineering helps improve traffic flow. Traffic Ahmed Nawaz termed the lack of infrastructure a major cause of traffic jams.

He complained that Karachi is a megacity larger than many countries globally, and despite this, it lacks enough infrastructure. To change this, he wrote letters to the concerned agencies from time to time. He said that many other factors in the city include inadequate roads, sewerage systems, utility holes on main highways, parking systems, encroachments, road openings, and traffic signals.

Traffic engineering helps improve traffic flow. But when all these elements are not available, the situation changes drastically. Parking contracts have been awarded in the city, but they do not include traffic police consultations. There are several highways with maintenance holes in the middle of the road. Encroachments and damaged roads always cause traffic jams.

The traffic police are in touch with all the concerned agencies regarding their construction, repair and renovation and keep them informed about it from time to time. Improving infrastructure can go a long way in overcoming traffic jams. Traffic police are working for traffic-free Ramadan and Chand Raat. DIG Traffic Ahmed Nawaz said that the traffic police are taking all measures to ensure that citizens reach their destination before Iftar and they don't have to suffer from traffic jams. In the last days of Ramazan, additional personnel will be deployed around the shopping centres.

The movement of heavy traffic has been banned during rush hour. Traffic jams are a big problem, especially during Ramazan, and we are trying our best to improve that so that the citizens do not have to suffer from traffic jams and reach their destination before Iftar.

In response to a question, the DIG said that in the last days of the holy month, the citizens turn to the shopping centres for Eid shopping, due to which the commercial centres of the city, including Tariq Road, Saddar, Clifton, Liaquatabad, Hyderi, Sakhi Hassan, Karimabad, Water Pump, Orangi Town, Korangi, Malir and other areas increases dramatically.

When the number of vehicles exceeds, it causes a traffic jam situation. Still, this year additional traffic police personnel will be deployed in the last days of Ramazan so that the citizens have to face the least hassle.

Some officers are transferred from the offices to the working force, while some are transferred from the morning shift to the evening shift to ensure the maximum number of traffic police personnel on the roads in the evening hours.