Preedy Street Expansion, a public friendly initiative is feared to lose its actual utility due to poor traffic management at the most frequented Empress Market to Regal Chowk stretch. Commuters talking to APP here on Monday said the scheme meant to reduce the massive traffic load on M A Jinnah Road is being fast turned into another nightmare for people using the thoroughfare either on private vehicles or via public transport.

"We find just one policeman haplessly trying to control the traffic at the Empress Market point," said Waqar Ali. This is the point from where more than 90 percent of the public buses, to and from down town and commercial centres pass through. Almost every bus driver prefers to stop his vehicle here for a minimum three minutes, causing severe traffic jam.

Since under the Preedy Street Expansion scheme traffic flow from Gulshan-e-Iqbal and beyond can have a straight and a much shorter access to Saddar, therefore, the route has turned to be a favourite for motorists and rickshaw drivers too. "On the contrary we find even traffic signals non-functional on the Empress Market to Regal Chowk stretch," he added. The commuters urged the concerned authorities that a facility must not be allowed to go waste due to lack of discipline and poor management.

Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2010