Karachi commuters face gridlock as University Road shut until year-end
One of the few ramps built for wheelchair-bound residents of the city on University Road was demolished on December 9, last year, despite a court order to ensure it stays put. PHOTO: ATHAR KHAN/EXPRESS
University Road has been closed for traffic from Nipa Chowrangi to Hassan Square due to ongoing development work.
According to Express News, due to the construction of the BRT and administrative inefficiency, the traffic situation was already bad, and now a section of the main road has been completely shut down, said Javed Ahmed, who commutes daily along this route.
For daily commuters, the closure has made commuting extremely difficult. One office worker said, “With the closure of University Road, it has become very difficult for me to travel from Johar to my office in Defence.”
Read: Motorists brace for more trouble as University Road closes for water project in Karachi
The road will remain closed from November 10 to December 30 for the laying of a main water pipeline under the K-IV Augmentation Project. The project involves 96-inch and 72-inch pipelines along the Red Line corridor, supplying an additional 260 million gallons of water per day to Karachi and connecting the main K-IV filtration plants to the city’s existing network. Work will be carried out in phases along both tracks of University Road.
The closure has severely affected traffic from Gulshan-e-Iqbal towards Saddar. Vehicles are being diverted to Shahrah-e-Faisal, Rashid Minhas Road via Aladdin Park, and Liaquatabad Road, causing heavy congestion. Similarly, traffic from Shahrah-e-Faisal towards Central District and Gulshan-e-Iqbal is now using Stadium Road, resulting in frequent jams.
Machinery and pipelines have already been moved to the site. The Traffic Police, Karachi Development Authority, KDA Traffic Engineering Bureau, and KWSSIP authorities have prepared diversion plans, and commuters are advised to call helpline 1915 for guidance.
Read More: Sewage floods University Road, paralysing traffic
Residents have long endured overflowing drains, dust, and narrowed lanes along University Road, forcing commuters and students to navigate traffic and sewage to reach their destinations.
Opposition parties have criticised the Sindh government. Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi, Monem Zafar Khan called the city “a maze of broken roads and failed projects,” while PTI leaders accused authorities of corruption and mismanagement.