MA Jinnah road lapses into decrepitude

Dysfunctional traffic signals, rampant encroachments have instigated chaos on the busy intersectional avenue

KARACHI:

Dating back to the colonial era, the MA Jinnah Road, is one of the busiest avenues of Karachi, owing to its strategic location in the city's commercial centre. Over the past few years however, where a growing population has increased the flow of traffic, the indifference of the federal and provincial governments has left the road in a state of ruin.

According to Shah Waliullah Junaidi, a renowned author, the MA Jinnah Road, formerly known as the Bandar Road, was built to connect the city with the port in 1854 under the supervision of Sir Charles Napier during the British era. In 1949, the road was renamed as the MA Jinnah Road, which spanned 6.1 km from Mazar-e-Quaid to Tower and was later extended to Keamari.

Today, the MA Jinnah Road, which is the focal point of several public and private institutions including the Head Office of the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC), the City Court, the Memon Mosque and Radio Pakistan among other historical buildings and shopping plazas, has lapsed into rack and ruin. With millions of vehicles traveling daily through this important avenue, traffic signals are missing at five intersections from Numaish Chowrangi to Tower, while the remaining five are inoperational.

According to a survey conducted by The Express Tribune, Numaish Chowrangi is an integral intersection of the city where traffic flows from eight directions including the two-way traffic from MA Jinnah Road, Shahra-e-Quaideen, Britto Road and Nizami Road. Unfortunately, the traffic signals at Numaish Chowrangi and those at the Capri Cinema, Naz Plaza, Tibet Centre and Mobile Market Chowrangi had been taken down due to the construction work of the red and green lines, leading to incessant gridlocks. 

"Traffic jams are quite frequent at the Mobile Market Chowrangi. Therefore, the traffic of MA Jinnah Road is being completely redirected by closing the intersection for Garden-to-Saddar on a trial basis. A U-turn will be made near DC South Office and the Naz Plaza on MA Jinnah Road for Saddar-Garden traffic. Many signals on the MA Jinnah Road are damaged because drug addicts cut their cables and steal the signals," said the Traffic Police Superintendent (SP) Ali Anwar Soomro.

On the contrary, Former Director of the Traffic Engineering Bureau (TEB) Syed Haider Ali believed that closing the Aga Khan III-MA Jinnah Intersection towards Saddar and Garden would increase the traffic problems instead of resolving them. "The two proposed U-turns do not have enough space and will cause more traffic jams on MA Jinnah Road and the Dr Daud Pota Road," said Ali.

Ali further believed that controlling encroachments, building a parking plaza near Empress Market, constructing an elevated right turn for traffic flowing to the Numaish Chowrangi from Dr Daud Pota Road and constructing a flyover for two-way traffic at Saddar Dawakhana on Preedy Street, could offer long-term solutions.

Chief Engineer Baldia Uzma Karachi Tariq Mughal claimed that the Sindh government had allocated Rs39.9 million for the repair of the MA Jinnah Road at about 25 points. "Carpeting has been done at Tower and Bolton Market while a pedestrian bridge has also been planned at the Mobile Market intersection," said Mughal.

On the other hand, NED University's Project Director Syed Ameer Hussain opined that if the MA Jinnah Road-Mobile Market Chowk intersection was made direct, the risk of accidents would increase. "The government only thinks of providing convenience for the motorists and the rights of the pedestrians are not taken into account. Even if a pedestrian bridge is constructed here, the elderly and women will face difficulties in climbing the bridge and will try to cross from the road. Therefore, it is better to put a signal here," suggested Hussain.

"The Green Line Phase-II has been delayed for two years due to a cost dispute with the contractor. However, the project is now going to be started again. Phase-II will extend from Taj Medical Complex to Municipal Park near Jama Cloth Market and will cost Rs5 billion. The signals will be restored at two places during the construction work of the project," said Shafi Chachar, General Manager of the Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Limited (SIDCL).

Officials of the TEB affirmed that the decision to redirect traffic from the MA Jinnah Road- Mobile Market intersection had not been approved yet.