SHC tells govt to resolve land issue for new terminals

The Sindh High Court on Wednesday issued notices to a board of revenue member and the transport secretary to inform the court about the allocation of land for the establishment of intercity buses and goods transport vehicles’ terminals along the Northern Bypass and the Super Highway.

Hearing a petition with regard to the prevailing situation of traffic and movement of heavy vehicles in different parts of the city, a division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar observed that although action plan had been submitted by the transport department in which some material points had been highlighted which required to be properly implemented.

It observed that it is necessary that the government resolves the issues with the establishment of an intercity bus terminal and a goods transport terminal for improving the traffic situation in the city.

The representatives of the transport associations said that they were willing to shift to new terminals if the same were established along the Northern Bypass for intercity buses and the Super Highway for goods transporters.

They submitted that if land is allocated, then they will make all possible efforts to establish terminals on a built-operate-and-transfer basis. They said that they also gave suggestions which were not incorporated in the action plan.

Assistant commissioner revenue Abdul Sattar Hakro submitted that the commissioner was willing to establish terminals on a BOT basis; however, the allocation of land issue was still unattended.

The court directed the member board of revenue and the secretary transport to appear before the court and explain to it allocation of land for the establishment of the two terminals. It directed officers to appear with proposals on May 22.

The technical committee, constituted to streamline heavy traffic in the city, suggested removal of encroachments from along all main arteries in the city and the construction of a southern bypass, an elevated expressway and interchange bridges in different parts of the city to accommodate the flow of 107,000 heavy vehicles running on the city roads. The committee headed by the secretary transport suggested long-term and short-terms plans for improving the traffic system in Karachi.

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

It was suggested that U-turns along with the Northern Bypass, Mauripur Road and the Lyari River should be closed; besides, all civic agencies should establish mobile repairing material for immediate maintenance of damaged portion/pot holes of roads and removal of debris after accidents.

The committee suggested that the dual carriage of the Northern Bypass be executed as early as possible and new truck terminals constructed on the Northern Bypass, the National Highway as long-term measures. It proposed the construction of an elevated expressway, a bypass road, an interchange bridge, an overhead bridge, an underpass from deep seaport, KPT, industrial zone and Quaidabad areas to restrict the heavy vehicles’ movement on the city roads. Petitioners Faisal Bengali and others had filed a petition in the court with regard to the prevailing situation of traffic and the movement of heavy traffic in the city during the day.

The petitioners said that the route map earlier submitted by the DIG traffic before the court was not being implemented in letter and spirit.