DHA’s e-tagging gates eagerly awaited by residents of Phase VIII

Barriers will reduce, screen traffic entering the area by use of stickers

KARACHI: Experimental e-tagging gates installed at the Khayaban-e-Hafiz entrance to Defence Housing Authority's (DHA) Phase VIII pleased a number of residents who are all for the project.

The project was announced in February by DHA through an advertisement, while tenders were officially posted in April.

Anxiously awaiting the installation of the e-tagging gates, Tania Khan, a resident of Creek Vista Apartments, said that she was mugged right outside her apartment and believes this is because there is no check on the young men who roam around the area on motorcycles.



On the other hand, complaining about the increased noise pollution around his residence, Salman Ali said that every evening his ears ring with the sound of motorcycles revving and loud screeches. Almost 100 modified sports cars and silencer-less motorcycles race in the area, drifting and doing other tricks that cause both noise pollution and accidents, he claimed. Ali hopes that this issue will be resolved only when the e-tagging system becomes operational.

Another resident of phase VIII, Bilal Abbas, shared his doubts about the success of the project, saying that he thinks it will be difficult to keep a check on everyone entering the area as the restaurants along the creek at Do Darya, Nueplex Cinema and Moin Khan Academy attract a massive number of citizens from other parts of the city.

"The area also has a number of educational institutes so how many people will be given stickers?" asked Abbas.

He also pointed out that once the e-tagging system at Khayaban-e-Hafiz becomes operational, long queues of vehicles will create a backlog on Khayaban-e-Ittehad, which in turn will create traffic problems as there is a traffic light at the Khayaban-e-Ittehad and Khayaban-e-Hafiz intersection.

According to the director of the e-tagging project, Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Rashid Butt, the installation of the e-tagging barriers were on an experimental basis while they await orders from the president of DHA's executive board, Karachi Corps Commander Lt-Gen Naveed Mukhtar. Brigadier Butt said that as soon as the board meeting is held, they expect to get the go-ahead for the project. It will be completed within six months after being approved, he added.

How it works

Brigadier Butt said residents of Phase VIII will be provided a sticker and there will be two lanes for residents' cars, one lane for non-stickered vehicles and one lane for motorcyclists.

He said that the entry and exit of all vehicles entering the area will be monitored through electronic tagging, which will help provide increased security to residents. He added that the project will be extended to all eight entry and exit points of Phase VIII and all the data collected will be integrated via fibre optics for monitoring at the control room.

The project head said that there may be flaws in the project but since they are keen to provide good security to the residents, all the problems will be sorted out and relief in terms of safety will be provided to people living in the area.



Police version

South SSP Saqib Ismail Memon said that the area is being monitored by them due to issues related to reckless driving. Bikers from all over the city reach Phase VIII's Khayaban-e-Sahil, taking advantage of the wide roads and little traffic, he said.

Memon also shared that usually these bikers are younger than 20 years old, therefore he has asked the police personnel of the Darakhshan and Sahil police stations to use leniency and avoid registering FIRs against them.

He explained that the police take the reckless drivers to the police station and after taking an undertaking from their parents they are released.

He added that for the stubborn bikers who continue to race, an FIR under Section 279 of the Pakistan Penal Code for reckless driving is lodged. Memon also said that in the last 10 days, they have taken 40 motorcycles into custody from Khayaban-e-Sahil.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 21^st, 2016.