Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar Faces Daily Ordeal Due to Pothole-Riddled, Neglected Roads

Residents of Karachi's Gulistan-i-Jauhar, a neighborhood considered relatively upper-middle-class, are experiencing significant daily hardships due to the severely deteriorated condition of its primary access roads and internal streets. Despite ongoing development, many main roads and internal streets are marked by deep potholes, broken surfaces, and years of neglect, transforming routine travel into an exhausting ordeal. The situation is exacerbated by ongoing construction projects, particularly the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project on University Road, which has caused severe traffic congestion. This forces commuters to rely on alternative routes like Pehlwan Goth Road and Johar Chowrangi Road, which are themselves in poor condition due to excavation for pipeline installations, reduced carriageway widths, and damaged surfaces. Journeys that should take minutes can now extend to 30-40 minutes, with vehicles forced to crawl at very slow speeds to navigate the treacherous conditions. Internal streets within blocks like 1, 2, 3, and 3-A are also in disrepair, contributing to slow and uncomfortable travel. Adding to the misery, persistent dust from construction and damaged road surfaces affects all commuters, especially motorcyclists and rickshaw passengers. While some repair work has commenced, residents express skepticism about timely completion, citing long-standing issues and slow progress on projects like the Pehlwan Goth Road rehabilitation, which began in March. Residents are urging authorities to expedite all ongoing construction and repair work to alleviate the daily burden on thousands of commuters.