The Karachi authorities have slightly revised the timings on the movement of heavy vehicles, such as dumpers, and will now allow them to operate from 10pm to 6am.

Rules restricting the movement of heavy vehicles were recently implemented amid rising traffic accidents involving dumpers and tankers, and protests over the deaths of citizens.

Several political parties including the Muttahida Quami Movement and the Jamaat-i-Islami criticised the provincial government for the accidents and accused police of allowing heavy vehicles to operate unregulated.

Last week, the provincial government banned the entry of heavy vehicles into the city during the daytime, only allowing them to operate from 11pm to 6am. Exemptions, however, were granted to trucks carrying water, petroleum products, medicines, meat and other essential goods.

According to a notification issued today by the Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi — a copy of which is available with Dawn.com — the authorities imposed a ban to regulate the movement of heavy traffic in the city, except from 10pm to 6am.

Under the new rules, the movement of heavy traffic, dumpers carrying construction material and mixture machines has been prohibited in all parts of the city except during the eight hour period.

Vehicles carrying essential commodities such as water, cooking oil, medicine, meat and other items were exempted from the new regulations.

According to the notification, the 60-day ban would remain in place from February 14 to April 13 to prevent road traffic accidents under Section 144(6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Section 144 is a legal provision that empowers district administrations to prohibit an assembly of four or more people in an area for a limited period. Subsection 6 of the law mandates that no order issued under the law remain in force for longer than two months.

“In the interest of protecting human lives and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic, there are sufficient grounds to proceed under section 144 Cr.PC to regulate the movement of heavy traffic within the city limits,” the notification read.

Heavy vehicles have been allowed on three routes, including the Super Highway (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).

Physical fitness certificate declared mandatory

On Thursday, the Sindh government made it mandatory for all heavy vehicles in Karachi to have a physical fitness certificate.

The decision came following a high-level meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to discuss the alarming number of traffic accidents in the metropolis and the ensuing criticism against the authorities.

Addressing a press conference, Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon said that the provincial government would ensure that all heavy vehicles plying the roads carried a fitness certificate.

Memon added that the transport department would issue a certificate with barcodes to all registered vehicles. He also said that heavy vehicles coming from other provinces should have a fitness certificate issued by the Sindh government.

The minister further warned that any unregistered vehicle on the road will be impounded and the showroom that sold the vehicle will be sealed. He urged showroom owners to sell their vehicles after registering them.

Memon had added that showroom owners or agents can buy vehicles for investment placed on car carriers only.