06-29-2006, 06:37 AM
<img src='http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2006/06/29/20060629_z1.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
The straw that broke Karachiâs back
* As traffic jams clog the cityâs centre, thousands of villages on its outskirts have to make do with camels for transport as the government has yet to build proper roads or arrange for a viable public transport system
By Aziz Sanghur
KARACHI: Ali Bhand and Urs Bhand, residents of Noor Muhammad goth, Keamari Town, have become well respected residents of their area because they have camels to provide people with transport in the times of an emergency, such as delivery cases, snakebites, dog bites or accidents.
The residents usually call upon them when someone needs to be taken to the hospital or shifted to a nearby clinic in an emergency because there are no transport facilities available in many rural and coastal localities situated off the main road.
Despite the governmentâs claims of rural Karachi development no transport has been made available in these areas yet, and a camel is the only source of transportation. Thus, while the centre of the city is ironically clogged with traffic jams each day, there isnât a single vehicle for the thousands of residents in Karachiâs rural areas.
There are 12,000 villages in Karachi located in the three jurisdictions, including Keamari town, Bin Qasim town and Gadap town and most of them do not have proper roads. They are largely populated by fishermen and farmers living in small houses, such as wooden huts. These areas do not have basic amenities such as water, power, healthcare and education.
<img src='http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2006/06/29/20060629_04.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />
The straw that broke Karachiâs back
* As traffic jams clog the cityâs centre, thousands of villages on its outskirts have to make do with camels for transport as the government has yet to build proper roads or arrange for a viable public transport system
By Aziz Sanghur
KARACHI: Ali Bhand and Urs Bhand, residents of Noor Muhammad goth, Keamari Town, have become well respected residents of their area because they have camels to provide people with transport in the times of an emergency, such as delivery cases, snakebites, dog bites or accidents.
The residents usually call upon them when someone needs to be taken to the hospital or shifted to a nearby clinic in an emergency because there are no transport facilities available in many rural and coastal localities situated off the main road.
Despite the governmentâs claims of rural Karachi development no transport has been made available in these areas yet, and a camel is the only source of transportation. Thus, while the centre of the city is ironically clogged with traffic jams each day, there isnât a single vehicle for the thousands of residents in Karachiâs rural areas.
There are 12,000 villages in Karachi located in the three jurisdictions, including Keamari town, Bin Qasim town and Gadap town and most of them do not have proper roads. They are largely populated by fishermen and farmers living in small houses, such as wooden huts. These areas do not have basic amenities such as water, power, healthcare and education.
<img src='http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/images/2006/06/29/20060629_04.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' />