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Traffic situation in Karachi is getting worse with each passing day. On one hand vehicles
are increasing exponentially while roads are getting blocked due to the mega-
development drive of the City District Government of Karachi (CDGK). Instead of doing
the development work in phases, the CDGK has opened all fronts in one go, leaving
Karachi digged up from one end to the other.
Some of the recent jams were:

• June 2, 2006 - PIDC

A rally held by the Pukhtoon Action Committee (Loya Jirga) assembled hundreds of
rickshaws, trucks, buses and minibuses to parade from Lasbella Chowk to the Karachi
Press Club, virtually bringing life at the center of the city to a standstill from 4:00 p.m.
till dusk.
The rally stretched nearly 10 kilometres long and ran opposite the flow of traffic. Traffic
was blocked for hours at all the main points to Saddar - Lucky Star, Metropole hotel,
Zainab market, all of I. I. Chundrigar Road.

• May 30, 2006 - Karachi Central

People blocked Nawab Siddique Ali Khan Road, running between Lasbella Bridge and
Nazimabad Chowrangi, and S. M. Taufeeq Road between Teen Hatti Bridge and
Liaquatabad flyover, to protest against prolonged power breakdowns in their localities.
Due to the blockade, the vehicles reaching the thoroughfares from different directions got
stuck at Lasbella, Nazimabad, Teen Hatti and Karimabad intersections. The power
breakdown also rendered traffic signals inoperative and the traffic police personnel
moved in to regulate the traffic flow failed to handle the massive clogging at so many
places.
The traffic police miserably failed to regulate traffic manually and chaos like situation
prevailed at Teen Hatti, Jamshed Road, Nishtar Road, Lasbella, Nazimabad, Pak Colony,
Karimabad, Sir Shah Suleman Road and other link roads.
Another traffic jam occurred near Gulbai and on Mauripur Road as people took to the
street and staged a sit-in. They raised slogans against the water board and the city
government for reducing the supply of drinking water.

• May 19, 2006 - Jauhar More at Rashid Minhas Road:

The jam started at around 8.30 on Friday morning on the Rashid Minhas Road-Jauhar
More intersection. Many of those who were caught up were students appearing in
‘O’ levels and other exams, and there was every possibility that some
of them might not have made it in time.
The obvious reason was the absence of any cut between NIPA and Jauhar More to
regulate traffic and enable commuters to find a convenient exit despite the fact that one of
Karachi’s major amusement parks is located on this road. The result is that all
vehicular traffic gets bogged down at Jauhar More. The absence of a proper service lane
on either side of the Rashid Minhas Road from Jauhar More to NIPA has also made the
commuters’ life miserable.

• Reasons for Traffic Jams

There are numerous reason for traffic congestion in the city, some of these are listed here:
Road Construction: The road construction works are in progress on M.A. Jinnah
Extension Road, Rashid Minhas Road, Shahrae Jehangir, 5000 Road in North
Karachi, 8000 Road in Korangi Manghopir Road etc. The flyover works are
ongoing at Time Medico intersection, Hasan Square intersection and Sohrab Goth,
Underpasses works are also underway at Gharibabad, Liaquatabad No. 10 and
Nazimabad No. 2. Most of the projects are on going without any traffic diversion
plan.
Encroachments: Squatters have also set up encroachments on the roads. The car
showroom owners park their vehicles at footpath and on a large portion of M. A.
Jinnah Extension Road, Khalid Bin Walid Road, Tariq Road, University Road etc.
Inter-city buses have illegal depots and stop points along University Road (old
sabzi mandi) causing hinderance in traffic flow.
3. Manual Traffic Control: According to a report in PakTribune.com, traffic signals are
switched off in many areas by police officials who try to control the traffic manually.
They get confused in the process and due to their errors, the traffic from different
directions is grid locked which leads to traffic muddle on the roads. Usually, the traffic
police close the traffic signals in evening when traffic volume from all directions is much
higher. They open one-side of road for long period while the other traffic is closed for
minutes.
Usually signals of Shaheen Complex, Civic Centre. Tibet Centre, Nishat Cinema,
Numaish, Empress Market, Sharea Faisal, Shaheen Complex, Teen Hatti, Sharea Pakistan
etc are switched off.
Ironically, the signals are operating under Urban Traffic Control(UTC) in which timings
are fixed in according to the traffic flow of these roads. The city government has installed
130 UTC signals on major roads, which have computerized system. Timings are stored in
the system in according to the traffic volume, which can also be varied.
According to city government officials, the traffic police was responsible to operate these
signals but instead of it they were more intended to operate traffic manually. The city
government has asked traffic police department many times to abandon traffic control
manually as it causes traffic jams but the officials concerned never response positive.
4.Lack of Civic Sense: Another major reason for traffic jams and mishaps in Karachi is
lack of civic sense in drivers. Most drivers are either unaware of traffic rules or they
simply do not bother. Jumping lanes, overtaking, speeding, cursing and swearing, all
causing frustration, depression and hyper-tension around them.
Solutions: Solving traffic related issues is certainly no easy task and requires lot of
research and planning. Considering the availability of resources and funds, it is best to
utilize what is readily available rather than opting for brand-new solution which cause
more strain on tax payers’ pockets. For example, the circular railway system, if
properly launched, can reduce pressure from the vehicular traffic. While there was some
progress on Karachi Mass Transit Program, it fall prey of various political agendas and
went down the drain.
According to a BBC report, a congestion-beating project has been launched that could
lead to some of the UK’s disused railway lines being paved with rubber.

Also in the UK, researchers are working on a tiny, three-wheeled car that could help
solve traffic congestion.
The prototype Clever (Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport) car is one
metre wide and less polluting than normal vehicles. It has a top speed of 100 km/h
(60mph) and uses a novel tilting chassis to make it safe and manoeuvrable.
The traffic-busting two-seater is the result of a 40-month project by researchers in nine
European countries.
The three-year, £1.5m EU-funded research project aimed to produce a totally
different class of private motor vehicle specifically designed for the urban environment.
The idea is to try to marry the small size and efficiency of a motorcycle with the comfort
and safety of a standard car.
Solutions:
1. Underground Subway system
2. Restoration of Circular Railways
3. Mass Transit Service
4. Ban on heavy traffic during 7 am to 12 pm
5. Construction of alternative roads
6. Lyari Expressway
7. Construction of proper parking plazas
8. Ban on animal carts
9. Shifting of intercity bus/wagon terminals outside the city
10. Shifting of major wholesale markets outside the city
11. Elimination of VIP movement blockages
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nadia farhan
August 26th, 2007 09:52 GMT
The reason we have jams in the city :
1. there are no consequenses for not following the traffic rules.
2. Most people get their driving lisence without giving proper diving test: so we can well
imagine what they would do when they come out on the roads!!
3. we, as a nation have become very selfish. we would rather get stuck in a jam for hours
than to reverse our car!!!
4. there is absolutely no planning for any parking space , not even in commercial areas!
and we pakistanis want to park our cars inside the shop - if possible, rather than parking it
around the corner and walking!!!
5. traffic police are paid so less, they are more interested at making money by grabbing
any oppertunity they can , catching a poor bike wala, of tankers are their favourite
victims, rather than controlling the traffic.
6. as if we hadnt had enuff, the rains came!!!!!
7. now i wanna talk about the DHA authorities!!! what a mess!!!
8. Our dear friends have dug up as many roads as they could to get the water
out………all the way into the sea!!!!!! God forbid if we have high tides!!!!
9. work is at a stand still and we , the residents have no idea when theses trenches will be
covered!!! if ever???
10. and if you have to pick up your children from school…………..plan it 2 hours
before!!! youre in for a major jam
11. there are no professional town planners in DHA at least ………….we desperately
need someone to advise them!
12. the list will go on ………….but honestly , i have lost all hope from this
country…………………………………… Allah help us all get through yet another
day on Karachi roads!