Mind that turn: All roads leading to MA Jinnah blocked on Sunday

Traffic police have planned alternative routes as main Saddar road will be blocked for Youm-e-Ali.

KARACHI:

Sunday's Youm-e-Ali procession will start from Nishtar Park and go through Shah Nawaz Bhutto Road, Mansfield Street, Boultan Market and Nawab Mahabat Kanjhee Road and will culminate at Imambargah Hussainian Iranian in Kharadar.

According to DIG Traffic Police Dr Sain Rakhio Mirani, all traffic coming towards the procession will be diverted to other roads for the security purposes. Vehicles coming from Nazimabad will have to take an alternative route to reach their destinations. Vehicles coming from Super Highway will be diverted from Liaquatabad No.10 towards Chowrangi No.2 Nazimabad and will proceed via Habib Bank Chowk, Estate Avenue Road and Shershah to Maripur Road. These vehicles will follow the same routes for their return.

While vehicles coming from National Highway will pass through Rashid Minhas Road and go through Stadium Road, Sir Shah Suleman Road, Hasan Square, Liaquatabad No. 10 Chowrangi No. 2 Nazimabad and will proceed via Habib Bank Chowk, Estate Avenue Road and Shershah to Maripur Road.

Vehicles from the Guru Mandir roundabout will not be allowed to proceed towards the procession and will be diverted onto Bahadar Yar Jang Road and Khan Bahadur Naqi Muhammad Khan Road. No vehicle will be permitted to go towards Soldier Bazaar.

The traffic coming from Mazaar-e-Quaid towards MA Jinnah Road will be diverted towards Nawab Bahadar Yar Jang Road and no vehicle will be permitted to go towards Numaish Chowarngi. Traffic from Shahrae Quaideen Road will not be allowed to proceed from the Society Roundabout behind the Mazaar-e-Quaid. Preedy Street, Court Road Chowk and Fresco Chowk will be closed for traffic going towards Saddar.



Additional IG Sindh Traffic police Ghulam Qadir Thebo told The Express Tribune that this year they were focusing their attention on traffic diversion points where extra contingents of traffic police will be deployed. He added that 1,500 traffic police personnel will be deployed to control traffic on the day of the procession. As an extra security measure, he said that on Saturday night the procession routes will be double sealed with containers.

Facilitating the public: Civic agencies finalise arrangements  

Civic agencies claim to have made all the necessary arrangements to facilitate the mourners at the procession of Youm-e-Shahadat-e-Ali on Sunday.

Commissioner Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui told The Express Tribune that all civic agencies have been placed on high alert and will be responsible for the provision of relief and emergency services in case of any untoward incident during the procession.

The commissioner revealed that the main congregation will be held at Nishtar Park, for which the the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) staff had cleaned the park, trimmed the trees, ensured that the street lights were in working order, fumigated the procession route and erased objectionable wall chalking along the route. City wardens will be deployed for the guidance of the participants, he said.

According to the KMC spokesperson, relief camps have been set up at Numaish Chowrangi, Saddar Parking Plaza, NGV School near Tibet Centre, Light House near KMC's central office, Boulton Market and Kharadar.

"KMC's main camp will be set up at Numaish Chowrangi, while rescue units, ambulance services and water tankers have been deployed along the route, starting from Numaish Chowrangi to Khardar," he said. "The main procession will be monitored by the command and control system at the KMC head office at civic centre."

Meanwhile, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) managing director Quttubuddin Sheikh said that the board will ensure smooth supply of water for the participants of the procession.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2014.