Ring roads or loops have been proposed under the Karachi Strategic Development Plan-2020 to ease traffic congestion which has attained an alarming proportion in Karachi.
When a traffic gridlock occurs at any artery, there is no alternative route to divert the traffic flow and in case a central point of the city gets blocked then a vast portion of the city gets paralysed. The KSDP-2020, which has been recently approved by the City Council, provides for ring roads and bypasses in order to counter all of these issues.
The solution of city’s transport problem lies in mass transit but such a system is a mere dream for the residents of Karachi.
KSDP-2020 proposes that an important road and highway initiative is the creation of ring roads. These are meant to relieve congestion on major radial arterials emanating from the centre; create mobility alternatives near the port and the central business district; create a bypass on the north, east and west allowing freight traffic and thus reducing congestions on radial roads; and help define the boundary of peripheral growth.
Central Ring Road (R1) is a loop approximately 32 km long with grade separation all along it, and will utilise the alignments of Lyari Expressway, Jail Road, Shaheed-e-Millat Road, Korangi Road, Khayaban-e-Rumi, Mai Kolachi bypass and the Mauripur Road.
Inner Ring Road (R2) is 32.5 km long; shares its alignment with R1 in the south-western part, has separate northern & eastern alignment. It begins at the Lyari Expressway intersection with Mauripur Road, proceeds up to Gulbai; intersects the RCD Highway and Manghopir Road; and uses Nazimabad, Liaquatabad Road, Sir Shah Suleman Road, Habib Ibrahim Rehmatullah Road and joins with Shahrea Faisal.
Northern Ring Road (R3) on the northern bypass is 65 km long. It will incorporate the existing northern bypass road and will be extended southward on east and west ends. On the east side it will proceed just west of the Malir Cantonment to Sharea Faisal. On the west side it is linked to the RCD Highway.
Outer Ring Road (R4) is conceived as long-term development beyond the time horizon of the KSDP-2020. The southern sections are partly in place.
The western extension will begin at the RCD Highway, continue towards west and end near Hawksbay. The eastern portion will provide accessibility to the eastern part of the city, running through Korangi, Landhi and Bin Qasim, further linking the existing link road up to “Education City”.