KARACHI: The entry of heavy vehicles in Karachi has been banned from 6am to 11pm, officials said, in the wake of increasing number of casualties due to road accidents.
The ban has been imposed on the orders of the Sindh High Court, which observed that heavy traffic is claiming more lives than terrorism.
“Around 20 people died in traffic incidents in the last 15 months. This is also terrorism,” the SHC remarked.
Confirming the ban on entry of heavy traffic in the megapolis, DIG Traffic Asif Ejaz Sheikh, however, said that oil tankers, water tankers and vehicles with government contract will be exempted from it.
He said the heavy vehicles will only be able to move through the bypass outside the city, for which three routes have been fixed.
The traffic en route to New Karachi Industrial Area will get through the Super Highway, according to Karachi Traffic Police. Heavy vehicles will use Manzar Pump from National Highway and Jam Sadiq flyover from Daud Chowrangi.
Traffic police officials said that Northern Bypass, RCD Highway and Mauripur Road will also be used for heavy traffic.