The vehicular traffic on the roads of Karachi continues to be a source of inconvenience for the people during peek hours and it gets worst if a VVIP is in the city. The problem is not new and the apathy of those who are supposed to correct this situation is not surprising. Most of the time a VVIP comes to the city unannounced and at such hours when the people are commuting to their work places.
They are in a hurry to reach their offices in time. Students are the other groups who have to reach their schools in time. Movement of vehicles carrying patients and the howling ambulances rushing to a scene of accidents also falls on deaf ears of the traffic managers.
There have been reports that traffic jams that take place during the movements of VVIPs have caused deaths as the ambulances either got stuck up or a car could not reach hospital in time and the patient breathed his last in the ambulance or in the car.
The worst traffic jam takes place at the crossing of the Shara-e-Faisal intersection that connects commuters from Saddar to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, National Child Health Institute, Sindh Medical College and the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Once the crossing has been closed for a VVIP the entire traffic comes to a halt on the main road.
After the main road is closed vehicular traffic begins to find out alternate routes which are non-existent. This effort of the vehicular traffic chokes other smaller interconnecting streets and denies all chances to two-wheelers even to find an opportunity to get out of the mess.
Movements of the VVIPs toward their destinations on roads such as National Highway or Super Highway are further disturbing. As has happened on Saturday when a VVIP visited a local hospital to inquire about the health of a provincial minister admitted to a local hospital or of a VVIP who visited a VVIP hospital to chair a discussion programme on Retrodifferential Stem Cell technology.
It was only during these two visits that the entire city traffic became topsy-turvy and brought the routine life to a standstill.
Traffic signals stopped functioning, traffic diversions gagged small connecting streets and the police under the heat of the sun misbehaved with the sufferers of VVIP movements.
Any traffic disturbance on the M. A. Jinnah Road is enough to disturb traffic in the entire city. This routine saying of the people proved true on Tuesday last.
Wednesday last was another day of bad experience. On the main Shara-e-Faisal petrol pumps were asked to close down their operations to ensure save journey to VVIPs. The closure of pumps and diversion of traffic on this main road of the city led to closure of many commercial offices, as the staff was unable to attend to offices time. Those who had gone out of their offices could not return to their offices.
The provincial administration has on a number of occasions announced making alternate arrangement for VVIP movements but so far nothing has been done. The creation of an alternate route involves many questions including questions of political incongruity. A city administration which is unable to enforce fitting of silencer in motorcycle rickshaws is likely to continue with healing statements for the sufferers of VVIP visits without taking a positive step to mitigate the sufferings of the uncomplaining people of Karachi. At least the VVIPs should take note of it.