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       KARACHI: In pursuance to continued efforts of the provincial government to control the menace of dumper-related fatal incidents in Karachi, the city administration on Thursday extended the complete ban imposed on heavy vehicles in the city during daytime for another two months.

       The ban on the movement of heavy vehicles was initially imposed for two months on Feb 14 in the wake of widespread protests by people, political parties and civil rights campaigners over the alarming increase in fatal incidents involving heavy vehicles mainly dumper trucks.

       While allowing heavy vehicles to operate in the city from 10pm to 6am for two months, the city administration authorised the district and traffic police to register cases against the violators of the ban.

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       Speaking to Dawn, Home Minister Zia Lanjhar said that the ban was imposed to regulate heavy vehicles and any action resulting in public inconvenience would be dealt with sternly.

       Trucks allowed to operate in city between 10pm and 6am for two months

       He said that the decision was taken to mitigate the rising number of road accidents caused by heavy vehicles and enhance traffic flow in the metropolis.

       According to a notification issued by Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, the authorities have re-imposed the 60-day ban, which would remain in place for the next 60 days to regulate the movement of heavy vehicles in the city, except from 10pm to 6am.

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       The commissioner said that vehicles carrying essential commodities such as water, cooking oil, medicine, oxygen cylinders for medical facilities, meat and other items were exempted from the ban.

       Heavy vehicles have been allowed on three routes, including the Superhighway (to New Karachi Industrial Area via Slip Road); National Highway (to Godown Chowrangi via Manzar Petrol Pump, Younas Chowrangi, Dawood Chowrangi to Road 8000 near Jam Sadiq Bridge); and Northern Bypass (to Mauripur Road, Jinnah Bridge, Karachi Port, Mai Kolachi Road up till NLC intersection).

       Clampdown on rickshaws

       Earlier on Wednesday, the authorities had clamped a strict ban on the movement of rickshaws, unauthorised extended rickshaws and Qingqis on 11 major roads.

       On Thursday, the imposition of the ban affected a large number of commuters, especially students and people belonging to lower-income groups, who mostly rely on extended rickshaws for their daily commute.

       The order said that the rickshaws were prohibited from operating on key Karachi roads for two months from April 15 to June 14, 2025.

       The roads where rickshaw operations are now banned include Sharea Faisal, I.I. Chundrigar Road, Shaheed-i-Millat Road, and other important city routes.

       Although the ban on the movement of rickshaws on major arteries of the city has been imposed to mitigate the traffic congestion, it has started to affect a large number of people due to a limited number of public transport buses.

       Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2025