Karachi traffic police have decided to convert Saddar Market into a fully car-free pedestrian street as part of new measures to reduce traffic congestion in the city.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by the DIG Traffic, which focused on addressing parking and traffic problems during Ramadan. To further ease traffic pressure, loading and unloading vehicles will not be allowed to enter the Saddar zone between 1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
Authorities also decided to activate and improve parking facilities in markets to make them more efficient. Illegal parking will not be allowed.
During the meeting, officials agreed to take legal action against professional beggars at traffic signals. Lifter officers will be deployed with body-worn cameras. It was also decided that encroachments will be removed and additional personnel will be deployed to manage traffic flow.
Karachi, where many areas now resemble densely populated towns, continues to face worsening traffic conditions. Residents across the city are increasingly frustrated by severe traffic jams. Ongoing development work and damaged roads have added to the difficulties faced by the public.
Long lines of vehicles were seen around Saddar, M.A. Jinnah Road, and the Old City area. Heavy traffic pressure was also reported at Fawara Chowk, Zeb-un-Nisa Street, and around Metropole.
Congestion was also observed on I.I. Chundrigar Road, Bolton Market, Tower, and Mauripur Road. Traffic flow remained slow at several points along Shahrah-e-Faisal.
Severe traffic conditions were reported in Defense and on the Qayyumabad KPT Bridge. Long vehicle queues formed around FTC, Nursery, and Baloch Colony.
Traffic jams were also reported near National Stadium Karachi, Hassan Square, and Isa Nagri. Banaras Chowk and Habib Bank Chowrangi experienced heavy traffic pressure. Traffic movement also remained slow in Liaquatabad, Teen Hatti, and Jahangir Road, where even short distances took a long time to travel.