Sindh govt cites poor port planning for traffic gridlock on Karachi roads

KARACHI: Sindh government’s spokesperson, Sadia Javed Friday cited poor port planing for traffic congestion on Mauripur and other major roads of the city, ARY News reported.

Karachi is experiencing severe traffic congestion on Mauripur Road and several other major arteries following the end of goods transporters strike.

Sindh govt’s spokesperson Sadia Javed stated that the Port Trust should have ensured proper planning before allowing a large number of vehicles onto city roads. She noted that roads such as Molvi Tamizuddin Road and Mai Kolachi Road previously did not face such traffic jams.

She explained that the Karachi Port Trust decided to unload all containers at the China Port simultaneously, which significantly contributed to the congestion. As a result, traffic jams were also reported on M.T. Khan Road and surrounding areas.

Sadia Javed said the traffic police attempted to control the situation, but emphasized that effective coordination between the traffic police and the Port Trust was necessary. She added that Lyari Expressway is not designed for heavy traffic and should not be used for that purpose.

According to the spokesperson, the Port Trust should have devised a comprehensive traffic management plan before releasing vehicles onto the roads. The Sindh govt’s spokesperson confirmed that the issue had been discussed with the SSP Traffic, who informed her that efforts were underway to manage the situation.

She also mentioned that Jamaat-e-Islami is staging sit-ins at 13 locations today against the e-challan system, further impacting traffic flow.

The spokesperson assured that the DIG Traffic is actively monitoring the situation and that the traffic congestion would be resolved soon.