Traffic situation in Karachi is
getting worse with each passing day. On one hand vehicles are increasing
vehicles are not being maintained in proper conditions. Goods transport, public
transport and personal vehicles travel on the same road. Public transport uses
two or three CNG kits in one vehicle which pose a grave danger to the safety of
passengers.
Karachi has an estimated population of nearly 24 million. According to a study
done by Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA) in 2012. The city has
nearly 6,457 buses of various sizes operating on 150 routes. It also has 2,715
contract carriages, buses and luxury coaches that organizations and individuals
can hire for temporary transportation and these are not the only modes of
transport on the city’s roads minibuses, taxi cabs, auto rickshaws,
multiple-seat motorcycle rickshaws, private cars, motorcycles, school buses,
private vans, ambulances, tankers, mini-trucks anything that can run on an
engine attached to wheels can be seen plying in Karachi.
The Transport Crisis explores at Karachi. Too much time spent in travelling and
waiting for buses, travelling standing, travelling on bus rooftops, suffering
injuries, being forced to leave the bus before reaching their destination for
one reason or the other harassment of women commuters, damage to attire,
non-standardization of bus fares and a fear of the gas cylinder (which is placed
within the bus) exploding. It also states that traffic is becoming unmanageable
and its congestion and the air and noise pollution have become harmful to the
health of its commuting public.
There are indeed, too many vehicles on the roads even when the number of buses
has decreased. On February 3, 2016 Karachi’s mass transit department made an
announcement in newspapers that Karachi will soon have a mass transit system
comprising a Green Line, an Orange Line, a Yellow Line and a Red Line as part of
a mass transit development plan JICA devised in 2012. The proposed system
includes the construction of six Bus Rapid Transits (BRTs), two Metro Rapid
Transits (MRTs) and the revival of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) which was
originally established in 1964.
Two out of the six proposed BRTs are at early stages of implementation: utility
relocation for the Orange Line has started in front of the Jinnah University for
Women in North Nazimabad. Water pipes, gas lines and electric wires are being
relocated to facilitate construction for the BRT which will run right in the
centre of the existing roads. The shortest of the six proposed lines, the 2.2
kilometre Orange Line will begin near the Board Office in Nazimabad, heading
northwest towards the Town Municipal Office in Orangi. The Sindh government will
fund this entire line, estimated to cost 2.4 billion rupees and expected to
benefit 50,000 people a day.
On another hand 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 and all causing
frustration, depression and hyper tension around them. The majority of the
unwanted incidents occurring on the roads are caused by hasty, unruly and risky
driving practice just because of ignorance to Traffic Rules. People get driving
licenses through the recommendations of influential people without even getting
prior training. Such ill trained drivers are liable to make fatal mistakes, thus
putting into danger their own lives as well as those of other innocent citizens
sharing the common route. Secondly, careless attitude is also noticed among the
general public who only make haste while crossing the road from any point they
find feasible for themselves.
Our government and traffic police department must make the conditions of roads
good. Different timing for starting and closings of offices and schools should
be done to avoid the rush in the morning, afternoon and evening on roads. If
they do so, there will be fewer chances of accidents and traffic will move
smoothly in the city and people will find themselves easy in driving.