If you think I am referring to the Bollywood film Wednesday starring Naseeruddin Shah, you are mistaken. For over four decades, Wednesday has been designated as Ladies’ and Children’s Day at the Zoological Gardens, commonly known as Gandhi Garden.

No males are permitted entry on this day, even if accompanying their families. The zoo closes around 7:00–7:30 p.m., and when women and children leave en masse to catch buses, rickshaws, or other transport, traffic outside the main gate grinds to a halt. Even the traffic police stationed at Garden Signal struggle to manage the congestion.

This has become a weekly ordeal. As a motorcyclist, I often have to wait 20–30 minutes just to cross the main signal opposite the zoo.

I urge Mayor Murtaza Wahab and the relevant authorities to move Ladies’ and Children’s Day from Wednesday to Saturday, when most offices are closed and traffic is lighter. This would ease congestion and make it easier for families to visit, as schools are also closed on Saturdays.

M. RAFIQUE ZAKARIA,

Karachi.