Residents of Patel Para in Karachi are protesting over the prolonged water and power shortage, now gathered at Lasbela Chowk after moving from the initial demonstration site.
The protest has caused severe traffic congestion in the surrounding areas, including major roads leading to Gurumandir.
Traffic police are rerouting vehicles to maintain some flow. Commuters are being diverted from Nazimabad towards Jahangirabad. At the same time, traffic from Teen Hatti is being redirected to Shah Najaf Cut, and vehicles from Jamia Shah Bukhari Mazaar Chowk are being sent towards Iqbal Market.
The situation has left traffic paralyzed in the affected areas, causing significant disruption to daily activities.
THIS Karachi road is temporarily closed to traffic
The blockage of roads has been frequent in Karachi as on December 15, a protest near Teen Hatti over water and power supply issues halted traffic in the surrounding areas.
Roads leading from Teen Hatti to PIB Colony were blocked, disrupting traffic. In addition, the city’s traffic police diverted traffic from Lasbela towards Liaquatabad.
On Abul Hasan Asfahani Road, there was heavy traffic pressure heading towards University Road. Karachi witnessed traffic jams from Gulshan Chowrangi to Maskan Chowrangi, while Disco Bakery Road also experienced vehicle queues leading towards the university.
The gridlock made it challenging for residents to travel even short distances within the city.
Similarly, on December 14, the Karachi Traffic Police took measures to address increased traffic congestion across the city due to a high number of shoppers and ongoing events.
According to reports, Abdullah Haroon Road near Zainab Market was closed to accommodate the heavy influx of shoppers. As the Christmas season approaches and winter weather sets in, Karachi has seen a significant influx of shoppers flocking to markets across the city. Due to the large number of shoppers, there was a noticeable increase in traffic congestion.
Key areas such as Tariq Road, Bahadurabad, Saddar, and Zainab Market were experiencing heavy traffic as a result. Streets around areas like Gul Plaza, Jamia Cloth, Fawara Chowk, and their vicinity were especially affected by traffic jams due to the high volume of shoppers and vehicles in the area.
As a result, traffic was being redirected from Fawara Chowk to Din Muhammad Wafai Road to help alleviate congestion in the area.
On Rashid Minhas Road, sewage water significantly accumulated, causing major traffic delays, especially for vehicles heading towards Millennium Mall. Traffic movement in this direction was slow, making it challenging for motorists heading towards NIPA.
At the Expo Center, a book fair attracted a large crowd and led to heavy traffic congestion. The Traffic Police were managing the situation by redirecting vehicles carefully around the area and checking vehicles to manage the flow of visitors.
Meanwhile, slow traffic conditions were also reported around the National Stadium, particularly towards Gharibabad, due to the high volume of vehicles and events taking place in the vicinity.
Motorists were advised to take alternative routes and allow extra time for travel to avoid delays during these peak times. The Traffic Police are actively managing these disruptions to ensure smoother traffic flow across the city.
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