SHC seeks report from transport secretary, DIG traffic on movement of heavy vehicles

The Sindh High Court directed the transport secretary and the DIG traffic on Wednesday to submit a report on the measures taken to regulate the movement of heavy vehicles in Karachi, remove encroachments on roads, improve traffic management and avoid digging and repair work without proper planning.

The directives came on a petition filed by Faisal Bengali and others against the plying of heavy goods transportation vehicles on the city’s roads and residential areas during daytime.

The petitioners submitted that they were permanent residents of Karachi and distressed in view of prevailing situation of traffic in the city which was deteriorating with each passing day.

The petitioners’ counsel Mohammad Abdur Rehman submitted that the Supreme Court in August 2007 had directed the DIG traffic to immediately stop the entry of heavy vehicles in the city during daytime and allow them to run only between 11pm and 6am. He said the Supreme Court had observed that except some cases, the ban on entry of the heavy vehicles in the city during daytime would continue to remain in force until further orders. He submitted that the Karachi Commissioner had on February 20 this year imposed a ban on heavy vehicles plying the city’s roads from 6am to 11pm for three years.

The counsel said that despite the directives of the apex court as well as that of the commissioner, heavy vehicles were plying freely on roads in every part of the city.