They start at 1am and go on till about 4am in what can only be described as adrenaline-pumping road action. But for the residents of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) phase VIII, the noise created by these midnight racing fiends is enough to make them want to kill themselves.
“The noise is terrible. I live on the tenth floor, yet find it hard to sleep when these guys are racing,” said Amir Nazeer, a resident of Creek Vista. “I can’t say which road they were using, but judging by the sound, they seem to be using many of them.”
The wide roads from the Sea View to Creek Vista apartments and beyond are an open invitation to youngsters with high-powered cars itching to let off some steam. The most popular stretch is the one that starts from Hot Bites restaurant and leads all the way to the end. Khayaban-e-Shujaat and 26th Street have not been spared either.
Also, it does not help that these roads lack traffic signals and speed-breakers, officials say.
Ashraf Khan, an owner of a restaurant at the strip, says that racers gather outside his place every weekend. “It’s so frustrating for us. There are 20 to 25 vehicles parked right in front of our gate. Families don’t like this and just turn away. It’s hurting our business.” Accidents are a matter of routine, he said. “Police and DHA vigilance officials know what happens here. But I don’t think they have tried anything to stop it.”
Verifying the number of accidents remains difficult, as Darakshan police station that covers phase VIII, claims that there has not been a single fatal accident in the last six months. But policemen deputed at check posts in the area tell a different story. “People are getting injured every other day due to over speeding,” said Malik Saleem, a sub-inspector in-charge of a post near Village Restaurant. “In most accidents, school and college students are involved,” he said. “Only their parents can stop them. We have tried everything else.”
Only two mobile vans have been allocated to keep an eye on the racing in the area, he said. “In any case, chasing after these boys is impossible. They drive specially modified vehicles.”
In 2011, around 59 people were killed on DHA’s roads. But Ameer Hussain of the Road Traffic Injuries Research Centre says that nothing could be said conclusively since there is a need to analyse the data. “But our observation from trauma surveillance at hospitals is that the youth from DHA and other parts come here for adventure riding and driving during weekends and suffer serious casualties,” he said.
DHA’s Vigilance Director Col (retd) M Amjad says that no one is being allowed to race on roads in phase VIII. “We have posted teams to stop the racers. And we always call the police when we need help.”
He said that DHA will not allow anyone to misuse its roads. “If anyone wants to race, then they should use the roads on the outskirts of the city.”
However, experts say that people wanting to experience the thrill of riding a fast vehicle will use city roads if an alternative track is not provided.
Zafar Naveed, chief executive of PGE, a company that provides traffic signals, pointed out there is no racing track in Karachi. “If anyone feels like speeding up, then let’s give them a road solely for that purpose.” He said that youngsters could be allowed to race on roads that are free during particular times on certain days. “If that doesn’t work, then the best we can do is to place barriers in such a way that traffic is forced to move in a zigzag formation. But it is very likely that these racers will simply move on to other roads.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2012.
COMMENTS (3)
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How about setting up of race tracks that can be rented and used. It is a form of recreation for a certain group of people. During my time we used to do this on Shahrah-e-Faisal at 6 am from Tipu Sultan to karsaz Road and from one end of Karsaz Road to the other.
There should be a speed limit defined for every road in Karachi.
Any one driving rash or crossing the speed limit should be booked and heavy penalties should be imposed on the drivers besides confiscating the cars which should only be re;eased through the due process of law and from the City Courts.
The parents are equally responsible for speeding drivers as they are the ones who provide undue money to their kids besides giving authority to do whatever they want to do and without respecting other people.
I am of the opinion that people who live on the other side of the main Clifton Bridge which they called as 'posh areas' have less sense, comparing to the people who live on the opposite side of the bridge and in non-posh areas.
Even though I would love to race but I would like to say for the safety of other residents of this city and neighbourhood this should be relocated to a proper destination which would have a paid track. To stop it, I think the cheapest way would be to have speed breaks all over the place or cat eyes. Simple and cheap solution instead of police check posts and vigilance teams.