SHC wants authorities to specify cut-off dates to implement traffic plans

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed the Karachi mayor, commissioner and National Highway Authority (NHA) to file statements specifying cut-off dates for the implementation of long-term and short-term plans, suggested by a technical committee to improve the traffic situation in the city.

Hearing a petition on the prevailing situation of traffic and movement of heavy vehicles in different parts of the city, an SHC’s division bench, headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, observed that although the technical committee had suggested various solutions for improving the traffic situation in the city, no cut-off dates had been specified by the government functionaries to implement the long- and short-term plans recommended by the committee.

The SHC observed that there should be some time frame or cut-off date for the implementation of the plans. The high court issued notices to the mayor, commissioner, NHA general manager and others to file their comments specifying cut-off dates for the implementation of plans suggested by the technical committee.

It is pertinent to mention that the technical committee, constituted to streamline heavy traffic in the city and headed by the secretary transport, suggested removal of encroachments from all main arteries in the city and the construction of southern bypass, elevated expressways and interchange bridges in different parts of the city to accommodate 107,000 heavy vehicles in the city.

The committee suggested that proper implementation of the traffic routes should be made and traffic laws as per ground realities be revisited. The committee also suggested that as short-term measures, encroachments from all the main roads and arteries be removed and oil tankers be shifted to the Zulfiqarabad oil terminal.

It was also suggested that U-turns along with the Northern Bypass, Mauripur Road and Lyari River should be closed and all the civic agencies should establish mobile repairing facilities to immediately repair damaged portions of roads and remove debris after accidents.

As long-term measures, the committee suggested that the dual carriage of Northern Bypass be executed as early as possible and new truck terminals be constructed at the bypass and the National Highway. The committee further suggested the constructions of elevated expressways, bypass roads, interchange bridges, overhead bridges and underpasses in the seaport, Quaidabad and other areas to restrict the movement of heavy vehicles in the city.

The petitioners, Faisal Bengali and others, had filed the petition with regard to the prevailing situation of traffic in Karachi and the movement of heavy traffic in the city during day hours. The petitioners had submitted that the route map earlier submitted by the DIG traffic before the court was not being implemented in its letter and spirit.