Gulistan-e-Jauhar, on of the fastest sprawling localities of Karachi, is being badly ignored by the transport authorities regarding provision of more bus routes to cater the needs of its hundreds of thousands commuters.
The majority of the commuters of this area belonged to white-collar jobs, working in downtown office and trade areas, but there is only one Gulistan-e-Jauhar-Tower 'coach route' (Gulistan Coach) and one bus route (11-A) to cater their needs. In past air-conditioned Metro buses used to ply on Malir Cantt-Gulistan-e-Jauhar-Tower route, but this service was halted abruptly last year without even official announcement.
A large number of commuters travel daily from Gulistan-e-Jauhar to Shahrah-e-Faisal, a trade and commercial area, but strangely there is not even a single bus, mini-bus or coach route for these commuters. Every morning thousands of commuters travel to Jauhar More to catch a bus or minibus for Drigh Road and from Drigh Road they again change bus to go to Shahrah-e-Faisal.
This cumbersome practice not only causes them great inconvenience, but they have also to pay the fare thrice. These commuters including ladies and students have to wait long even to get a foothold place at the gate of overcrowded buses and minibuses. It is awesome scene to see dozens of commuters travelling dangerously on roof of minibuses and clinging to their doors.
There is a dire need to introduce at least one each, bus, minibus and coach routes from Gulistan-e-Jauhar to Tower via Shahrah-e-Faisal, besides introducing two more bus or minibus routes on Gulistan-e-Jauhar to Tower via Mazar-e-Quaid route. It would greatly help the commuters if wide-bodied UTS buses were plied on these routes.
The company running the Metro bus service should also be asked to revive their air-conditioned coach service on the Malir Cantt-Gulistan-e-Jauhar-Tower route. The track of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) runs through the heart of this densely populated area and if revived it could prove a blessing for the commuters of this area, specially those going to Shahrah-e-Faisal, Saddar and Tower.