Unending traffic woes

Karachites have numerous problems to face in their daily lives. The biggest concern is the chaotic traffic situation that has been endured by them for a very long time now. Traffic problems have plagued Karachi and are a menace in the common man's life due to various reasons.
Karachi is Pakistan's commercial hub with a large population of workers who commute between their homes and workplaces every day. There are also an ever-increasing number of cars on the roads due to the growing population of Karachi. According to a study, 250 vehicles are added every day to number. Heavy traffic movement on roads especially where commercial buildings are located is a norm. Office work timings are similar which causes a sudden rush of vehicles on roads at that time.
Proper traffic movement, particularly on busy thoroughfares, requires an efficient traffic management system with uncongested roads and multiple routes to a single destination. This is lacking in Karachi. One of the busiest routes in Karachi is from Jinnah International Airport to Pakistan Steel Mills. The presence of Steel Mills, Port Qasim, Indus Motor Company, Fotco and Fauji Fertiliser makes it a daily route for people who work there. Traffic congestion is a major problem for employees of these organisations and for people who travel on that route for other purposes such as business and education.
Everything needs maintenance and so do roads. Roads in Karachi are not in their best condition, particularly the route from Pakistan Steel Mills to Stargate. The entire road between the two points is rocky and damaged. Bumpy roads slow down the cars, resulting in overall slow traffic movement. Thus, a massive traffic jam is the only result. In Pakistan, citizens consider it their right to encroach roads and make the area narrower for traffic. Roadside vendors and hawkers continue to be a reason for encroachments. This is also one of the reasons for traffic snarl-ups. Sidewalks meant for convenience of general public are either destroyed or roadside traffickers occupy the area. Eventually, people walk on roads causing unnecessary obstacles for vehicles. Illegal parking serves as cherry on the top. Quite a number of trucks are parked on that route which also further restricts the already narrow road.
Another reason for major gridlocks is the non-functioning of traffic lights. During rush hours, the road becomes a chokepoint with cars moving in from every direction. The traffic police is missing when the signals don't work. Often, they are not able to control the traffic manually, creating more problems for the vehicles.
Stationery cars with their engines running causes air pollution and carbon emissions pollute the atmosphere, making it unhealthy to inhale. Blowing horns, shouting and cursing out of frustration create further noise pollution. Apart from this, inhaling smoke leads to many health risks including headaches and respiratory disorders. The whole situation causes mental and physical health risks.
Security is always a risk on the roads of Karachi. Given the law and order situation, it is quite common to get mugged in a traffic jam. Snatchers take benefit of the situation and rob people of their belongings. Citizens are helpless as police is absent or they turn a blind eye to the crimes.
This hectic everyday routine of being stuck in traffic for long frustrates people. Traffic jams extend travelling time which leads to increased fuel consumption by vehicles. Apart from time cost, traffic snarl-ups also increase financial costs. Extended travelling time means greater fuel consumption and higher operating costs. With ever-growing prices of fuel in Pakistan, it is difficult for people to bear this cost.
The need for a detailed analysis of traffic congestion in Karachi was met by a Toyota Research on Traffic Congestion (TRTC), conducted by students of NED University of Engineering and Technology in collaboration with Indus Motor Company (IMC). As there are no policies to reduce traffic congestion, the research should be beneficial for traffic management authorities, commuters and industries.
The first phase of the research mainly focussed on finding the level of congestion on a specific route in Karachi and the overall congestion cost. The route from Stargate to Pakistan Steel Mill, a part of the National Highway route number N-5, was the main study area of the research. Nine locations were selected to count traffic volume on the route from Stargate to Pakistan Steel Mills. These locations were Stargate, Malir Halt, Malir Kalaboard, Malir 15, Quaidabad, Manzil Pump, Fast University, Port Qasim and Pakistan Steel Mills. This road has a capacity of 3,500 vehicles per hour. Research findings show a vehicle count of 54,000 from Pakistan Steel Mill to Stargate and 55,000 on the return route. Such large numbers of vehicles passing daily on the same road definitely needs adequate traffic management.
According to the study, various reasons for traffic congestion on that particular road include bridge construction, encroachment, signal and traffic mismanagement, pavement distress, rough road and heavy traffic movement. The research shows that unnecessary delays are caused due to various reasons. It takes 4.75 minutes per trip during off-peak hours and 8 minutes per trip during peak hours at an average. Time lost for 51,000 cars passing on that route daily during off-peak hours is 23 hours which makes 11 years per year. The time lost by 4,000 cars during peak hour is one and a half year per year. As Benjamin Franklin says, 'Lost time is never found again', years of time lost by people every day on this road can never be regained.
The study highlights the need to have adequate traffic management system that can contribute greatly to the reduction in traffic congestion on all the busy roads in Karachi. The problem lies in inefficient traffic systems and mismanagement by traffic police but citizens are to be equally blamed. There is a lack of driving sense in the people of Karachi. Jumping lanes, overtaking, speeding, cursing and swearing by drivers altogether causes depression and frustration. Breaking traffic rules is a norm and one can easily get off traffic violation charges by bribing a traffic police official.
To control such serious issues, certain measures must be taken by the concerned authorities. The number of cars in Karachi is continually growing and this requires unobstructed roads, efficient traffic management and strict traffic police rules. Since the National Highway Authority (NHA) is responsible for the development, operation and maintenance of this route, it should take notice of the conditions there. Maintenance of unobstructed roads along with upkeeps of the current roads is one way of reducing time delays for commuters. Encroachment is a major cause for traffic congestion and it can be controlled by the Anti-Encroachment Cell (AEC) and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). There is also a dire need for strict and honest traffic police so that people think at least once before violating any traffic rule.