Daytime movement of heavy vehicles banned in Karachi for two months

In a bid to alleviate chronic traffic congestion and enhance road safety, Karachi Division Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi on Thursday imposed a two-month ban on the movement of heavy-duty transport vehicles across the city during the daytime.

The restriction, enacted under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), would be in effect from April 17 to June 16, 2025, according to a notification released from the Commissioner’s office.

Naqvi stated that the primary goal of this move is to “protect human lives and ensure smooth traffic flow.” As part of the directive, dumpers carrying construction materials and all other heavy vehicles, except those transporting essential supplies such as water, medical supplies, and food, had been banned from operating on city roads between 6:00 am and 10:00 pm.

The restriction specifically targets the daytime hours, aiming to ease traffic congestion during peak times and improve safety for all road users. In addition, the Commissioner’s office had authorised police and traffic officers to file complaints under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against any violators of the ban.

Exemptions to the rule had been made for vehicles carrying critical supplies such as edible oil, liquid oxygen, meat, and medical gases. However, these vehicles were encouraged to operate during off-peak hours to minimise disruption to the daily traffic flow.

The Commissioner’s Office had also outlined specific routes where heavy traffic would be permitted to move, including the Super Highway to New Karachi Industrial Area through the Slip Road, National Highway to Godown Chowrangi via Manzil Petrol Pump, Yonus Chowrangi, Dawood Chowrangi to Road 800 near Jam Sadiq Bridge, Northern Bypass, Parache Chowk, Estate Avenue, Siemens Chowrangi, and back to Gulbai Mauripur Road, Jinnah Bridge, Karachi Port including East and West Wharf, and Mai Kolachi Road up to the NLC intersection.

However, the ban would still apply to dumpers carrying construction materials on these routes. Authorities were hopeful that the new restrictions would improve traffic conditions and make the city safer for commuters. Further updates would be provided as the situation develops.