Burnes Road food street to go traffic-free from January 10

Citizens will not be allowed to take their vehicles to Karachi’s Burnes Road food street from January 10.

The decision to pedestrianise the well-known food street has been made by the Sindh government to facilitate the food lovers and to beautify the Old City area.

Officials said the announcement was made after close consultation with the District South administration and the city’s traffic police department.

They said several meetings had been convened by the Sindh government with the district administration and other relevant departments to formulate the plan.

Talking to The News, Deputy Inspector General of Police Iqbal Dara said he had directed his subordinates to make frequent visits to the intersections surrounding the food street and mark the locations of diversion points to avert any gridlocks or traffic mess, particularly during peak hours.

The city’s traffic police chief said they would publish a map to better inform the commuters on their diversion plan. He said signboards illustrating diversion points would be installed before January 10 to make the public aware of the alternative routes.

Diversion plan

As per the official notification, Sharae Liaqat shall be blocked for the traffic from the Fresco Chowk to the Court Road intersection from 7pm onwards.

Traffic coming from the Arambagh area to the Fresco Chowk shall be diverted towards MA Jinnah Road on the left side and towards the Peoples Square on the right side. The commercial vehicles coming from the Sadder area towards the food street shall be diverted to MA Jinnah Road at the Regal Chowk, whereas the general traffic coming from the Sadder area towards the food street shall be diverted at the Court Road intersection towards the Sindh Secretariat on the left side and towards the Urdu Bazar area and MA Jinnah Road on the right side.

The road from the Fresco Chowk to the Fatima Jinnah Women College, where the major eateries are located, shall be made traffic-free.

Streets and residents

There are three streets on each side of the portion of Sharae Liaquat that will be pedestrianised.

All six streets shall be blocked for traffic in a way that people residing in buildings on the streets are not disturbed and the traffic flow is managed smoothly, according to the notification.

If you move on Sharae Liaquat from the Fresco Chowk towards the Court FJ Women College (North East), there are three streets: Kazi Khuda Buksh Road, Tirath Das Road and a blind street. The first and the second streets shall be blocked on their rear ends where they join with Malay Street. The third one is a blind street and hence it shall not be blocked.

Similarly, if you move on Sharae Liaquat from the FJ Women College towards the Fresco Chowk (South West), there are three streets: Yusuf Street, Kothari Road and Kazi Khuda Buksii Road. The first street shall be blocked at its front where it joins Sharae Liaquat, while the second street shall be closed in its middle where Sonehri Masjid is located. The third street shall also be blocked at its front where it joins Sharae Liaquat.

People residing in these streets shall be provided with vehicle stickers and shall be allowed to enter and park their vehicles in the streets. A valet service shall be engaged to manage the parking of vehicles at both ends of the food street. The valet service shall also handle the traffic, including the vehicles of the residents of the blocked streets, on either side of the road.

“The food street shall be pedestrianized but an ample space shall be left vacant for the passage of vehicles for an emergency. There shall be markings on both the ways of the road beyond which restaurants shall not be allowed to put their chairs, tables or stalls. This whole arrangement of traffic management shall be done in the evening after 7pm when usual traffic thins out.”