Karachi [Pakistan], December 25 (ANI): One of Karachi’s most important roads, MA Jinnah Road, has fallen into a state of disrepair. Known for its central location, MA Jinnah Road is integral to the city’s daily life, but years of neglect have led to a deteriorating condition, impacting the flow of traffic and daily commutes, as reported by The Express Tribune.
MA Jinnah Road, originally known as Bandar Road, has a rich history. Built-in 1854 to connect Karachi with its port, it was a pivotal route for the city’s development under British supervision. After it was renamed in 1949 to honour Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the road spanned 6.1 km from Mazar-e-Quaid to Tower and was later extended to Keamari.
The road stands as a key access point for several public and private institutions, including the Karachi Municipal Corporation (KMC) headquarters, City Court, Memon Mosque, and Radio Pakistan. However, over time, the rise in traffic due to a growing population combined with the government’s indifference to its maintenance has left it in disarray.
According to Shah Waliullah Junaidi, a renowned author, “The MA Jinnah Road, formerly known as the Bandar Road, was built to connect the city with the port in 1854 under the supervision of Sir Charles Napier during the British era. In 1949, the road was renamed as the MA Jinnah Road, which spanned 6.1 km from Mazar-e-Quaid to Tower and was later extended to Keamari.”
With millions of vehicles passing daily, the road now faces significant issues such as missing or malfunctioning traffic signals. Five intersections from Numaish Chowrangi to Tower have no signals, while the remaining five are non-functional.
The Numaish Chowrangi intersection is a central hub for traffic flow in the city, where vehicles from eight directions converge, including the two-way traffic from MA Jinnah Road, Shahra-e-Quaideen, Britto Road, and Nizami Road. However, traffic signals at this crucial point, along with those at Capri Cinema, Naz Plaza, Tibet Centre, and Mobile Market Chowrangi, have been removed due to the ongoing construction of the Green and Red Line bus projects. This has caused traffic jams that regularly spill into surrounding areas, reported The Express Tribune.
“Traffic jams are quite frequent at the Mobile Market Chowrangi. Therefore, the traffic of MA Jinnah Road is being completely redirected by closing the intersection for Garden-to-Saddar on a trial basis. A U-turn will be made near DC South Office and the Naz Plaza on MA Jinnah Road for Saddar-Garden traffic. Many signals on the MA Jinnah Road are damaged because drug addicts cut their cables and steal the signals,” said Traffic Police Superintendent (SP) Ali Anwar Soomro.
Syed Haider Ali, former director of the Traffic Engineering Bureau (TEB), voiced concern about these measures, particularly the trial redirection of traffic. “The two proposed U-turns do not have enough space and will cause more traffic jams on MA Jinnah Road and the Dr Daud Pota Road,” said Ali.
He emphasised the need for solutions that address underlying issues like encroachments and suggested the construction of a parking plaza near Empress Market, an elevated right turn at Numaish Chowrangi, and a flyover at Saddar Dawakhana for smoother traffic flow.
Meanwhile, Chief Engineer Baldia Uzma Karachi Tariq Mughal confirmed that Rs39.9 million had been allocated for repairs at 25 points along MA Jinnah Road. “Carpeting has been done at Tower and Bolton Market while a pedestrian bridge has also been planned at the Mobile Market intersection,” Mughal said. However, some experts remain unconvinced that these measures will suffice, The Express Tribune reported.
NED University’s Project Director Syed Ameer Hussain, for example, expressed concerns about the potential dangers of modifying intersections without adequate pedestrian considerations. “The government only thinks of providing convenience for the motorists and the rights of the pedestrians are not taken into account. Even if a pedestrian bridge is constructed here, the elderly and women will face difficulties in climbing the bridge and will try to cross the road. Therefore, it is better to put a signal here,” suggested Hussain.
The ongoing Green Line Phase-II project, which has been delayed by two years due to a dispute over costs, is expected to resume soon, with a budget of PKR 5 billion. Shafi Chachar, General Manager of the Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Limited (SIDCL), noted, “Phase-II will extend from Taj Medical Complex to Municipal Park near Jama Cloth Market and will cost Rs5 billion. The signals will be restored at two places during the construction work of the project.”
Despite these planned improvements, officials from the TEB confirmed that the decision to redirect traffic at the Mobile Market Chowrangi had not been approved, raising doubts about the feasibility of such solutions. (ANI)
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