Multiple Agencies Hamper Karachi Traffic Flow
The Sindh government’s focus on enforcing e-challans contrasts sharply with the fragmented responsibility for traffic engineering in Karachi. This diffusion of authority across multiple bodies is creating major obstacles in the development of a smooth and efficient transportation network.
Conflicting Road Authorities
Currently, the Traffic Engineering Bureau (TEB) of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA), and cantonment boards share the complex task of traffic engineering. This division leads to a lack of clear accountability and coordination, contributing to the city’s traffic woes according to SindhNews.com. The TEB, primarily responsible for installing and maintaining traffic signals, struggles because of ongoing financial limitations.
Asif Jan Siddiqui of the KDA stated that the authority is barely managing to maintain existing traffic signals owing to budget constraints.
Potential Solutions for Karachi Traffic Management
The government is considering establishing the Karachi Traffic Management Company (KTMC) to consolidate traffic engineering responsibilities. This new entity would handle new signal installations, repairs, road markings, and other improvements, according to sources. Sources told Dawn that the Karachi mayor would head the KTMC, alongside the commissioner and private sector experts. DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah informed industrialists about the proposal, mentioning that the company’s funding would come partly from challan revenue, which would fund other improvements.
The SMTA has already installed 11 new traffic signals across the city, with others also being upgraded under a development plan. SMTA Managing Director Kanwal Nizam Bhutto stated the authority upgraded 24 out of 27 signals.
Conclusion
The current fragmented approach to traffic engineering in Karachi, with multiple agencies involved, is hampering efforts to improve traffic flow. The government’s consideration of a unified entity signals a potential shift toward a more coordinated and effective system for managing the city’s traffic challenges according to SindhNews.com.