KARACHI: Traffic jams in morning and evening rush hours continue to torment the citizens, as authorities have failed to resolve this problem despite construction of many flyovers, underpasses and signal-free roads. The main reason behind these traffic jams is encroachments along roadsides. Karachi is the 7th largest city of the world due to massive rise in population. According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, Karachi’s population has risen to 14.91 million. Traffic jams are not a new problem for Karachiites as the citizens have been facing the same for last two decades. A long-term planning with significant increase in road budget is mandatory to overcome traffic jams the city, which is also the capital of Sindh province. The traffic jams mostly occur in morning and evening rush time, causing hardships to commuters. The worst traffic jams occur in Saddar, M A Jinnah Road, Shahrah-e-Faisal, Shahrah-e-Liaquat, Korangi Road, Liaquatabad, Teen Hatti, Nazimabad, Drigh Road, Korangi crossing and Tariq Road areas. Due to ongoing development project and their ill-planning this issue has further complicated. Once Karachi was famous as the city of lights and people used to visit its parks and other public places with ease, but now it is known as the city of bridges, flyovers and underpasses, as well as, crippling traffic jams. The government has completed several road projects to overcome traffic problems but there is no letup as yet. Fact is that the government does not take stern action against encroachment mafias and to reform traffic police and anti-encroachment departments of DMCs that patronize these mafias. The city faces agonizing traffic jams in rush hours from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM, and from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The reasons of traffic congestions are not only the mismanagement of authorities, but also the breach of rules by encroachers, vendors and other citizens. Reckless driving of buses, bikes and rickshaws has also added to traffic miseries. Furthermore, traffic police and civic agencies have also made the situation worse by showing negligence in removing encroachments along roads. Sometimes on public cry they initiate cosmetic operation but they are not serious in removing roadside encroachments permanently, as it would deprive them of a hefty bribery. In 1960s, local trains and trams also used to ply in Karachi, but later, transport mafia replaced them and maintained their monopoly on the city roads, which also caused rise in traffic jams. Roadside vendors and extended shops on the roads also cause the traffic jams. There is no one to control them as these people pay extortion to the encroachment mafias. Apart from creating diseases like lung ailments, the traffic jams also cause accidents. According to World Health Organization, about 1.25 million people die each year as a result of road accidents. The government needs to come out with concrete measures to resolve traffic issue of the city while citizens also need to cooperate with the authorities in this regard. Published in Daily Times, December 15th 2017.