KARACHI: With just over 200 traffic personnel available to perform their regular duties in Karachi, the city`s traffic system faced serious challenges on Wednesday as key road links witnessed massive traffic jams, major intersections suffered hourslong gridlock and prominent thoroughfares got choked as thousands of traffic policemen have been deployed for election-related duties in the city.

Traffic officials said some 4,800 personnel were deployed for election duties in the metropolis, leaving the strength of just over 200 to control Karachi`s traffic, which led to a challenging situation in the city during rush hours.

Citizens suffered prolonged traffic jams on main M.A. Jinnah Road, I.I.Chundrigar, Sharea Faisal and Saddar areas in the evening, witnesses and officials said.

DIG Traffic Iqbal Daratold Dawn that 4800 traffic policemen had been deployed for election security duty and all traffic resources had also been diverted for the polls-related duties since Wednesday morning.

`Now the traffic police have been left with 247 personnel who were managing the traffic,` said the city`s traffic police chief.

DIG Dara said under the directions of Addl.

IGP Karachi, the policemen from the operation wing of the police were provided to the traffic police for clearing the traffic on Wednesday evening. `We are trying to manage the traffic, said the DIG traffic.

Meanwhile, a traffic police spokesperson in a statement said that all staff (officers and employees) were performing security duty for general elections. Therefore, the traffic police urged the citizens to demonstrate patience, particularly at peak hours and drive their vehicles in their line so that others do not faceinconvenience.