AROUND a couple of months ago, the KPT Interchange near Qayyumabad in Karachi was closed for traffic for repairs. The traffic coming from the city uses the flyover mostly to proceed to the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) and Clifton areas.

Apparently, the road required repairs at two places. An uneven joint encountered soon after ascending the flyover had been there since the beginning due to a construction fault and had to be levelled. Besides, there was a rough patch of road just before the descent that was causing jerks to the motorists.

Despite the lapse of two months, there is no chance for the flyover to be functional anytime soon. The repair work started several days after the flyover had been closed to traffic, and even when it started, the activity remained at best intermittent. In fact, for a few weeks there was no activty at all before it restarted on May 26 when a few labourers could be seen working.

The traffic now has to go through the Qayyumabad roundabout, which is a nightmare. What used to be a two-minute ride now consumes 30 minutes. With traffic moving in about eight different directions, it becomes impossible for traffic constables to manage the mess.

With drivers jostling for space, vehicles often bump each other.

This, as one would expect, is followed by exchange of heatedarguments between the two parties, which makes conditions worse for the rest. The relevant authorities need to get their act together, and complete the repairs without further delay.

Parvez Rahim Karachi