21:33
Unknown
Karachi
By making the Clifton beach and sensitive zones off limits, the authorities on Monday not only poured cold water on New Year’s Eve festivities, but also ended up causing massive traffic gridlocks on several major arteries of the metropolitan.
The commuters’ problems were compounded by the fact that the closure of a few roads to prevent New Year festivities at the seaside and in some sensitive zones for security reasons coincided with the evening rush hours.
The traffic congestion lasted till late in the evening. Motorists, mostly office-goers returning home, were stuck for hours in the traffic jams.
A bumper-to-bumper traffic was seen on II Chundrigar Road, MR Kayani Road, Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Burns Road, Sarwar Shaheed Road, Din Mohammad Wafai Road, Rafiqi Shaheed Road, Sharea Faisal, Korangi Road, MA Jinnah Road, Abdullah Haroon Road, Aga Khan-III Road, Preedy Street, and several other roads leading to Defence and Clifton.
A traffic police officer at the 915 Traffic Helpline said the closure of Aiwan-e-Saddar Road and a portion of Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road near the Chief Minister’s House led to the traffic jams on the roads in the city’s downtown areas .
“By 8:30pm, the traffic situation in the vicinity of the Shaheen Complex and the Arts Council and on Aiwan-e-Saddar Road had been resolved, while there was no traffic congestion on Sharea Faisal or other major roads of the city,” the officer maintained.
The situation was aggravated by the announcement of 72-hour closure of CNG stations from Tuesday morning. Panicked motorists lined up outside filling stations, worsening the traffic problem.
“I left office around one and half hours late when I saw a massive traffic jam on II Chundrigar Road,” Asher Zaidi, a senior anchorperson associated with Geo TV, told The News.
“The traffic situation had worsened because people were panicking and driving on the wrong side of the road,” he added.
Many vehicles on II Chundrigar Road and MR Kayani Road ran out of fuel while stranded in the gridlock. Police vans and ambulances were also stuck in the jams.
A very few traffic policemen and city wardens were present to solve the traffic crisis, reflecting the authorities unpreparedness for the situation.
Karachi DIG Traffic Khurram Gulzar blamed police for the traffic gridlocks on II Chundrigar Road and its adjoining arteries.
“Police barricaded the roads early in the evening, way before the New Year celebrations start,” he told the News.
“When I saw the traffic clogging I.I Chundrigar Road till Merewether Tower, I ordered temporary removal of the barricades on the Aiwan-e-Saddar Road in order to ease the situation.”
Earlier, there were reports that the government might block cellular services in the city to prevent terrorist attacks during New Year celebrations. However, much to the relief of the citizens, the suspension was not enforced.
Banned
The Sindh government has banned using firecrackers, firing gunshots in the air, pillion-riding, and driving a car or riding a motorcycle without a silencer in Karachi on New Year’s Eve.
In view of the prevailing law and order situation in different parts of the metropolis, the provincial government has banned pillion-riding on scooters and motorcycles from sunset on Monday, December 31, to the midnight of Thursday, January 3, under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
According to a notification issued by the Sindh home department on Monday, the ban will not be applicable on children younger than 12 years, women, the elderly, people with disabilities, journalists, uniformed personnel of law-enforcement agencies, and employees of essential services.
The violators of the government order will be liable for penal action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Station house officers, and their subordinate inspectors, sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors have been authorised to take legal action against the violators in accordance with the applicable laws.
According to another notification, the government has also banned using firecrackers, aerial firing, and driving a car or riding a motorcycle without a silencer. It has suspended all letters issued by the home department to people that allowed them to carry a weapon.
In pursuance of Section 195(1)(a) of the CrPC, police officers up to the rank of assistant sub-inspector are authorised to register complaints in writing under Section 188 of the PPC for violation of Section 144 of the CrPC.
Strict security ordered
The Sindh inspector general of police (IGP) has ordered strict security measures across the province on New Year’s Eve, APP added.
According to a statement issued on Monday, Fayyaz Ahmed Leghari ordered tight security in all parts of the province, especially in Karachi, Hyderabad and other major cities. The IGP called for deploying police personnel at all public places, including beaches, parks, thoroughfares, shopping centres, departmental stores and fast food chains.
He directed to make arrangements for random snap-checking, and police picketing and patrolling. He also directed station house officers to ensure implementation of all security measures in their respective jurisdictions on New Year’s Eve.
By making the Clifton beach and sensitive zones off limits, the authorities on Monday not only poured cold water on New Year’s Eve festivities, but also ended up causing massive traffic gridlocks on several major arteries of the metropolitan.
The commuters’ problems were compounded by the fact that the closure of a few roads to prevent New Year festivities at the seaside and in some sensitive zones for security reasons coincided with the evening rush hours.The traffic congestion lasted till late in the evening. Motorists, mostly office-goers returning home, were stuck for hours in the traffic jams.
A bumper-to-bumper traffic was seen on II Chundrigar Road, MR Kayani Road, Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road, Burns Road, Sarwar Shaheed Road, Din Mohammad Wafai Road, Rafiqi Shaheed Road, Sharea Faisal, Korangi Road, MA Jinnah Road, Abdullah Haroon Road, Aga Khan-III Road, Preedy Street, and several other roads leading to Defence and Clifton.
A traffic police officer at the 915 Traffic Helpline said the closure of Aiwan-e-Saddar Road and a portion of Dr Ziauddin Ahmed Road near the Chief Minister’s House led to the traffic jams on the roads in the city’s downtown areas .
“By 8:30pm, the traffic situation in the vicinity of the Shaheen Complex and the Arts Council and on Aiwan-e-Saddar Road had been resolved, while there was no traffic congestion on Sharea Faisal or other major roads of the city,” the officer maintained.
The situation was aggravated by the announcement of 72-hour closure of CNG stations from Tuesday morning. Panicked motorists lined up outside filling stations, worsening the traffic problem.
“I left office around one and half hours late when I saw a massive traffic jam on II Chundrigar Road,” Asher Zaidi, a senior anchorperson associated with Geo TV, told The News.
“The traffic situation had worsened because people were panicking and driving on the wrong side of the road,” he added.
Many vehicles on II Chundrigar Road and MR Kayani Road ran out of fuel while stranded in the gridlock. Police vans and ambulances were also stuck in the jams.
A very few traffic policemen and city wardens were present to solve the traffic crisis, reflecting the authorities unpreparedness for the situation.
Karachi DIG Traffic Khurram Gulzar blamed police for the traffic gridlocks on II Chundrigar Road and its adjoining arteries.
“Police barricaded the roads early in the evening, way before the New Year celebrations start,” he told the News.
“When I saw the traffic clogging I.I Chundrigar Road till Merewether Tower, I ordered temporary removal of the barricades on the Aiwan-e-Saddar Road in order to ease the situation.”
Earlier, there were reports that the government might block cellular services in the city to prevent terrorist attacks during New Year celebrations. However, much to the relief of the citizens, the suspension was not enforced.
Banned
The Sindh government has banned using firecrackers, firing gunshots in the air, pillion-riding, and driving a car or riding a motorcycle without a silencer in Karachi on New Year’s Eve.
In view of the prevailing law and order situation in different parts of the metropolis, the provincial government has banned pillion-riding on scooters and motorcycles from sunset on Monday, December 31, to the midnight of Thursday, January 3, under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
According to a notification issued by the Sindh home department on Monday, the ban will not be applicable on children younger than 12 years, women, the elderly, people with disabilities, journalists, uniformed personnel of law-enforcement agencies, and employees of essential services.
The violators of the government order will be liable for penal action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
Station house officers, and their subordinate inspectors, sub-inspectors and assistant sub-inspectors have been authorised to take legal action against the violators in accordance with the applicable laws.
According to another notification, the government has also banned using firecrackers, aerial firing, and driving a car or riding a motorcycle without a silencer. It has suspended all letters issued by the home department to people that allowed them to carry a weapon.
In pursuance of Section 195(1)(a) of the CrPC, police officers up to the rank of assistant sub-inspector are authorised to register complaints in writing under Section 188 of the PPC for violation of Section 144 of the CrPC.
Strict security ordered
The Sindh inspector general of police (IGP) has ordered strict security measures across the province on New Year’s Eve, APP added.
According to a statement issued on Monday, Fayyaz Ahmed Leghari ordered tight security in all parts of the province, especially in Karachi, Hyderabad and other major cities. The IGP called for deploying police personnel at all public places, including beaches, parks, thoroughfares, shopping centres, departmental stores and fast food chains.
He directed to make arrangements for random snap-checking, and police picketing and patrolling. He also directed station house officers to ensure implementation of all security measures in their respective jurisdictions on New Year’s Eve.
Posted in: Karachi News
0 comments:
Post a Comment