New Preedy Street: How a Rs2.6b project has failed to fix a neighbourhood

Almost 1,385 houses were knocked down for the project, which was meant to overcome the traffic problems.

Ppi December 13, 2010

KARACHI: The New Preedy Street project cost Rs2.6 billion and almost 1,385 houses were knocked down for the project, which was meant to overcome the traffic problems in Saddar. But the reality is slightly different.

New Preedy Street was inaugurated by Governor Ishratul Ebad and former city nazim Mustafa Kamal in August 2009, to serve as an alternate route to Sharae Faisal and MA Jinnah Road.

The city district government of Karachi completed the project in Corridor III to ease the traffic congestion. But traffic jams still spread out from the Saddar Dawakhana to Naveed Clinic in one of the most polluted parts of the city.

The Empress Market area is a nightmare for both pedestrians and motorists because of the growth of illegal encroachments and poor road engineering.

At any time of the day, hundreds of vehicles are stranded in crippling traffic jams because almost two-thirds of the footpaths, from New Preedy Street to Regal Chowk, are encroached with vendors and pushcarts.

The first multi-storied parking plaza in Pakistan is also located on this road, but both projects have failed to solve the congestion problem. The traffic on New Preedy Street runs smoothly from the Quaid’s mazaar to Saddar Dawakhana, but because there is no traffic signal there, vehicles come from all directions even when traffic policemen are present.

The bus stops are not properly marked and buses pick and drop commuters wherever they like and also park on the junction of Preedy Street and Dr Daudpota Road. It takes commuters about an hour to cover the distance of a few kilometres from Regal Chowk to Empress Market during rush hour.

The traffic police could deal with the problem by installing signals, prohibiting illegal parking and blocking wrong road entries. Building overhead pedestrian bridges in the area can also help residents, visitors and shoppers. If the traffic police and town management can mantain the traffic flow in this area, it would help ease traffic jams on MA Jinnah Road, New MA Jinnah Road and Shahrae Faisal.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2010.