Traffic headed for gridlock
Traffic jams made headlines almost daily in 2006. And as chaos on the roads continues to wreak havoc on Karchiites’ daily movements, it is feared the traffic crisis will intensify in 2007, with no one taking responsibility.
An enormous increase in the number of vehicles on the roads is said to be the main reason for the present crisis. In the past five years, more than 500,000 vehicles have been added to the previous fleet of 1.1 million, resulting in hours-long (at times, day-long) congestions on almost all major roads and thoroughfares.
The sudden increase in vehicles is the direct result of the growth of leasing companies and the easy installments loans offered by all the banks. But while banks were given a free hand to create a debt-ridden consumer market, the national policy makers never bothered to realise the wider impact, especially in Karachi.
Most importantly, no policy makers gave a thought to the logistic issues of 15 million citizens and the necessity of reviving and extending the circular railway network.
The delay in introducing the circular railway services has hugely multiplied problems. Every citizen, who can now afford it, now wants to buy a car or motorcycle to cover the distance from his home to workplace because of the pathetic and less than efficient road transport service.
The prime responsibility for the management of traffic flow the roads, is that of the traffic police. But they blame the crisis on dug up roads, roadside encroachments, scarcity of parking places, whereas these is also a shortage of manpower in their department albeit these shortcomings also serve as excuses to cover up for their inefficiency.
As far as dug up roads are concerned, there is no road dug up downtown of Saddar but the traffic jams are a routine throughout the day. And while removal of roadside encroachment is the responsibility of the city government, no one can encroach upon the roadside area without the blessings of the area police.
Besides, the major violators of traffic rules are drivers of commercial vehicles like buses, minibuses, coaches, trucks and trailers. Known as the ‘yellow devils’, the minibus drivers apparently are above the law, following no traffic rule. According to statistics, the share of public transport is mere 3.4 per cent in the vehicle population but their involvement in fatal accidents is more than 72 per cent.
Despite efforts of successive governments to rein in the transport mafia and launch various campaigns against traffic rule violations, the transporters (owners and operators) have managed to safeguard their collective interests, giving strike calls in retaliation. The government is always forced to succumb to their demands each time and abandon all traffic management campaigns. As a result, jumping red lights and stopping in the middle of the road is now a modus operendi of all public vehicles, with no thought given to the resultant traffic chaos. Such violations continue mainly because, insiders say, public transport and commercial vehicle drivers are never fined since their protection has allegedly been bought trough a weekly amount forwarded to the traffic police.
The traffic network can hardly improve until these irregularities are checked and the culture within the traffic police is changed. With the internal police set up in disarray due to insufficient resources there is no motivation or means available even for the dedicated policemen to work efficiently, another reason for traffic disorder. An SP of each traffic zone is responsible for repairing and managing the logistics of his force but shifting responsibility to his deputy superintendents, the issue gets side-lined as these officers are reluctant to impose fines, on ‘valuable clients’ who are beneficial to the officers’ financial needs.
However, if there is even the slightest will, a small difference can be seen in traffic management provided if all roadside encroachments are immediately removed and proper bus stops are designated for public transporters and the operators of buses, mini-buses and coaches are made to stop on the designated stops. Transfers and postings within the traffic police department should be strictly on merit with punishment issued in case of dereliction of duty.
Rules concerning prohibited parking in double and triple rows on roads in and around business and shopping centres need first to be strictly implemented. Above all, plans for the circular railway or light rail project as alternative transport options must immediately get underway to avert the growing traffic crisis. But the kind of commitment needed for such stringent steps to be executed still seems elusive, and the plaguing question that remains; will traffic management be any better in 2007?
(By Arman Sabir, Dawn-13, 01/01/2007)
Traffic jams in many localities
KARACHI, Dec 31: People travelling in public and private transport means were stranded in exhausting traffic jams at various places on the eve of the Eidul Azha and New Year.
Worst of the traffic jams took place in Liaquatabad where vehicles were seen mingled with each other due to mismanagement on the part of traffic police. Intolerant behaviour of drivers of private and commercial vehicles was equally responsible for aggravation in the situation. Drivers of the vehicles carrying sacrificial animals were seen flouting traffic rules, adding to the mess. on Saturday, Sindh Transport Minister Adil Siddiqui had noticed traffic disorder and directed the acting DIG Traffic to ensure a smooth flow with special instructions to ensure that no traffic jams did occur on the occasion of Eid.
He directed the police to remove all hurdles in a smooth flow of traffic.
He also noticed hooters mounted on private vehicles, and instructed the traffic police to take action against in this regard without any discrimination. He asked people to follow traffic rules strictly and give the right of way to ambulances, often seen trapped in traffic jams, on priority.
However, the traffic police apparently turned a deaf ear to the minister’s directives and failed to manage and regulate the traffic flow at various places.
The worst situation was witnessed in Liaquatabad where the vehicles, coming from Karimabad, got stuck right from Dak Khana intersection up to the Liaquatabad flyover. Motorists were forced to take a u-turn to veer onto the wrong side to descended at Liaquatabad No.10. Many of the motorists put their vehicles in narrow lanes of Sharifabad to take an alternative route.
A similar situation witnessed on the other track of Shahrah-i-Pakistan where vehicles coming from Teen Hatti were stuck right from Nairang Cinema to Teen Hatti bridge. The impact of traffic jams in Liaquatabad was felt on various roads linking Liaquatabad and Nazimabad, Liaquatabad and Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Nishtar Road and Jehangir Road, besides their link lanes and by-lanes.
Traffic jams were also witnessed on Tariq Road, around Hyderi Market and in Saddar, as well as on M. A. Jinnah Road intermittently.
(Dawn-13, 01/01/2007)
Hasan Square Flyover opened to traffic
KARACHI: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has opened Hasan Square Flyover, New MA Jinnah Road and Shahrah-e-Pakistan Road to vehicular traffic before Eid-ul-Azha.
The formal inauguration of the flyover and other projects would be performed later. Kamal said this after opening the flyover to vehicular traffic late on Saturday.
He said the opening of the flyover and roads is the Eid and New Year gift for the citizens. The flyover project was started in June 2006 and completed in a record time of five-and-half months.
The New MA Jinnah Road and Shahrah-e-Pakistan Road were also opened to facilitate citizens on Eid.
underpass closed: The Liaquatabad underpass was closed temporarily after a 48-inch diameter sewerage line was burst near it, causing accumulation of sewerage water around the underpass and surrounding areas. The KW&SB and Works and Services Departments personnel controlled the situation after making hectic efforts.
City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal visited the area and instructed the officials concerned to pump out the accumulated water on a war footing. The officials hoped that the underpass would be opened to traffic till Monday night.
(The News-4, 01/01/2006)
Minibus operators fleece passengers
KARACHI, Jan 3: Mini-bus operators had a field day during the two days of Eid, overcharging the passengers in the name of `Eidi’.
Picnickers visiting the beaches, the zoological garden and Safari Park were their particular victims. Passengers complained that they were made to pay as much as Rs10 for a normal fare of Rs7 and Rs12 instead of Rs10.
Most of the passengers paid the conductors whatever they demanded, but some of them were angry at this demand.
A group of youth told this reporter: “We also paid the extra money because most of the passengers are paying it without any hesitation.”
A conductor, when asked, said that the demand for Eidi was not new. Over the years they had been charging such extra amounts on the occasions of Eids, both Eidul Azha and Eidul Fitr.
“This has been a tradition everywhere. Even if you travel in the inter-city buses, they will ask for extra money,” said the man. But in some mini-buses heated debates were observed between conductors and passengers.
Operators of the urban transport service, however, charged the fare as mentioned on the tickets and did not ask for extra money.
(Dawn-18, 04/01/2007)
Damaged roads
MOST of the road links and traffic islands in Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Karachi, have been a shambles for a long time, causing utter inconvenience to people.
Ever since development of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, the government agencies/offices like the KDA (now CDGK), KWSB and CBF have not considered the construction of proper road links, service roads, footpaths, electrification, besides roads, laying of water and sewerage lines.
The said agencies/offices have been issuing NOCs to the builders for construction of high-rise buildings without provision of basic amenities of life, including parking lots.
In fact, the roads were laid by using poor quality material. This is why roads are not good enough to sustain the impact of weight of traffic movement, nor is the drainage system working properly.
At regular intervals, the sewerage lines burst out on both sides of the Jauhar Bridge and around Jauhar Square, creating pools of dirty sewerage water on roads where thousands of residents live in flats. This is causing environmental hazards.
Besides, traffic islands in Jauhar Square are either washed away by sewerage water or broken at short intervals.
The road links in Gulistan-i-Jauhar require immediate laying of main roads, service roads, footpaths, etc.
HASAN ADIL, Malir Karachi
(Dawn-6, 05/01/2007)
First CNG bus likely in March
KARACHI, Jan 4: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Thursday said the government’s encouraging and investment-friendly policies as well as speedy uplift of infrastructure had improved Karachi’s reputation the world over.
He said that construction of 24km long elevated expressway with foreign investment would soon begin and Korean firm’s plant in Karachi for manufacturing CNG-buses was part of the same sequence.
The nazim said this while visiting Daewoo’s assembling plant in Razzaqabad adding that the government would extend all-out cooperation to investors.
He said the assembling plant had a capacity of manufacturing 3,000 CNG buses a year, which would not only provide job opportunities to locals but also benefit citizens to travel in comfortable and modern vehicles.
“We have no shortage of qualified youngsters but what they need is better opportunities. The manufacturing of CNG buses in Karachi will benefit local workers to work and learn latest technology”, he said. Mr Kamal lauded the Korean company for choosing Karachi for their venture.
The nazim said that the city government had initiated uplift projects at a fast pace, which was evident from the fact that flyovers were being constructed in record five and half months period.
He informed the foundation stone for the construction of 24-kilometer long elevated expressway was expected to be laid down. He was of the view that the project, which starts from Quaidabad and terminates at the Jinnah Bridge, Merewether Tower, would be completed within three years.
Mr Kamal said that Karachi had become a perfect choice for big investors to put their money in various sectors as uplift projects worth billion of rupees were already under way. He said the government would fully cooperate with the companies and individuals who wanted to invest in Karachi’s transport sector.
“Karachi is a huge market and any company or individual interested in investing in its transport sector would get all cooperation and benefits from us,” he said.
Earlier, the Daewoo officials briefed the city nazim on the assembling plant with a capacity to produce 3,000 CNG buses a year as well as trucks, mini-trucks and other vehicles. They said the first CNG bus would be available to ply on roads in March.
(Dawn-18, 05/01/2007)
Five injured as bus overturns
KARACHI: At least five people sustained injuries when a passenger bus overturned and fell into the Korangi River on Thursday.
The Edhi sources said that the accident occurred when one of the tyres of route I-D bus burst near Korangi Crossing Bridge.
The passengers, who suffered minor injuries, were identified as Waqar, Idrees, and Wahid. They were rushed to the Jinnah Hospital for treatment. The sources said that the accident occurred around 7 pm and no deaths were reported.