Though the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has made tall claims in the past regarding improving rainwater drainage system from low-lying areas of the metropolis, the city areas painted a completely different picture when the worst-traffic jams were witnessed due to accumulation of water on all major thoroughfares after heavy rains lashed the metropolis on Monday.
The city sky was witnessed to be overcast since morning accompanied by drizzling. However, dark clouds covered the metropolis in the afternoon and a heavy downpour followed soon afterwards. At one point it was so dark, that vehicles on the roads had to turn on their headlights to light up their way.
Due to the heavy rainfall, the MA Jinnah and II Chundrigar Roads witnessed the worst traffic jams. People had to face serious difficulties while going back to their homes from work. The intense rains also affected flight schedules at Jinnah International Airport for a while, due to which many flights were delayed. Meanwhile, heavy rains also inundated roads and water flowed in to many houses in various low-lying areas of the city.
After the heavy downpour, the citizens brought their vehicles on roads the roads in the most haphazard manner that resulted in worst traffic jams. The motorists and motorcyclist remained stranded on roads during the downpour as people hastily came out on the roads in a bid to reach their destinations as earlier as possible, thus making the affairs of the city centre more miserable.
The absence of traffic police, city wardens and mal-functioning of traffic signals after the heavy showers had also put the motorists in a fix as they remained stranded in their vehicles for hours. Another reason for the traffic jams was stated to be absence of sanitation staff that would have otherwise helped in draining out accumulated rainwater.
The traffic on Shara-e-Faisal and II Chundrigar Road was being controlled by traffic signals and as water started accumulating at various spots, a number of vehicles broke down, thus creating traffic jams at certain points of the metropolis. Interestingly, soon after the rains subsided, the traffic police, usually seen issuing challan tickets to violators of traffic rules, could not be seen anywhere.
The worst traffic jams were witnessed on a number of roads that included MA Jinnah Road, Aga Khan-III Road, Zaibunnisa Street, Burnes Road, Garden Road, Soldier Bazaar, Purani Numaish, Guru Mandir, Business Recorder Road, Sharah-i-Iraq, Abdullah Haroon Road, Fountain Chowk, II Chundrigar Road, Shaheen Complex, Metropole roundabout, Shara-e-Faisal, SM Taufiq Road in Liaquatabad, Nawab Siddique Ali Khan Road in Nazimabad, Nishter Road and other important arteries of the city.
Furthermore, the poor visibility during rains had also added to the miseries to the people as motorists and public transport moved at a snail’s pace to avoid any mishaps from happening.
Moreover, the rainwater also accumulated on various roads and streets thus creating a lot of problems for citizens, besides the gutter-mixed rainwater was also seen flowing freely even in Saddar area in front of historic Empress Market building.
Interestingly, the city’s administration claimed to have drained out rainwater from low-lying areas with the help of heavy machinery and pumps after the heavy downpours subsided.
