With the city facing the threat of heavy monsoon rains and urban flooding, Karachi Traffic Police has announced a comprehensive traffic diversion plan to ensure smooth flow of vehicles and provide maximum relief to commuters.
According to the plan, Tariq Road has been declared a No Parking Zone on both sides and will serve as an alternative route in case Sharae Faisal becomes flooded. Traffic police have appealed to citizens, shopkeepers, and market associations to cooperate by avoiding parking on Tariq Road.
Officials said that in District Central, the stretch between Power House Chowrangi and Nagan Chowrangi often gets severely inundated. Commuters traveling from Rashid Minhas Road can take a U-turn at Godhra, then proceed via Shafiq Mor towards New Karachi. Similarly, from Sakhi Hassan Chowrangi to Nagan Chowrangi, motorists should use Qalandaria Chowk and Anda Mor to reach 4K Chowrangi. Traffic from Board Office will be diverted via KDA Chowrangi towards Shahrah Noor Jehan.
Residents heading to North Nazimabad Blocks N, H, and I are advised to take the route from Imtiaz Supermarket towards Mujahid Colony, Ziauddin Hospital, Saifee College, Landhi Kotal, and Peoples Chowrangi before proceeding to Shafiq Mor and New Karachi.
Traffic police also warned that areas such as Nursery, Lal Kothi, Baloch Colony, Karsaz, Drigh Road underpass, Kala Pul, and Madam Cut are prone to waterlogging. In such cases, alternative corridors including Shahrah-e-Faisal, Sindhi Muslim Society, Allah Wali Chowrangi, Tariq Road, Char Minar, PTV Station, Aga Khan Road, Stadium Road, Millennium Mall, Johar Chowrangi, Rabia City, Habib University, Pehlwan Goth, and Airport routes may be used.
For those traveling from Defence to the Airport, routes via Qayyumabad, Shahrah-e-Bhutto, Shah Faisal Colony, Shama Shopping Mall, Shahrah-e-Faisal, and Star Gate have been advised. Similarly, commuters from Malir Halt and Anwar Baloch Hotel areas can also use Shahrah-e-Bhutto.
For return journeys from the Airport, traffic police advised avoiding Madam Apartments and instead using the old terminal’s internal road network via Star Gate, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Colony Gate, and Shama Shopping Centre, then continuing along Shahrah-e-Bhutto, Qayyumabad, and into Defence.
For commuters heading towards Garden or Tower, a safe option during heavy rainfall would be to use Model Colony graveyard route towards Jinnah Avenue, then proceed via Super Highway and Lyari Expressway to reach Mauripur or Tower. Likewise, those traveling towards Gulshan-e-Iqbal and Gulistan-e-Jauhar can use Jinnah Avenue through Race Course.
Traffic police emphasized that the plan has been designed to minimize disruptions during the expected heavy rainfall and urban flooding. Citizens have been urged to follow the designated alternative routes and cooperate with authorities for their own safety and convenience.
