Ramazan fails to deter one-wheelers in Rawalpindi

Police aim to launch a major operation against the stunt-riders

RAWALPINDI: The start of the holy month puts the devil back in the cage, or so the saying goes. However, it seems to have done little to cage those who tend to practice the dangerous art of one-wheeling on the various roads of the garrison city

With the advent of Ramazan, motorbike riders have traded the day for night and can be seen performing dangerous stunts and riding their motorbikes on its rear wheel on busy roads of the city into the early morning.

The one-wheelers are seen involved in the dangerous activity on roads near the Ayub Park, Peshawar Road, Saddar, Murree Road and other areas.

Much to the chagrin of traffic police, they deftly dodge officers deployed on the roads to stop them.

These stunt riders not only endanger their own lives but also pose serious threats to others apart from interrupting the flow of traffic, said Mohsin, a local resident.

Despite, tall claims by police to eliminate the activity, the trend of one-wheeling has only been growing.

These bikers do not take any precautionary measures such as wearing helmets, elbow guards or chest guard.

They dart through the roads while pulling dangerous stunts.

Though the traffic wardens are deployed on the city roads, but they appear to be helpless to do anything.

The traffic authorities agreed that one-wheeling poses a serious challenge to the force.



"It is a serious problem and several accidents have been reported,” a senior Rawalpindi City Traffic Police (CTP) officer said, adding, “We are working to adopt countermeasures but they have yet to work since the riders can easily escape on their two-wheelers when compared to cars or other vehicles."

To counter the trend, the CTP has decided to launch a massive operation against one-wheelers during the holy month of Ramazan. Senior officers have issued orders to register cases against one-wheelers and to impound their two-wheelers under Section 99-A.



According to Chief Traffic Officer SSP, Bilal Iftikhar, special squads have been constituted for this purpose who would take strict action in accordance with the law against one-wheelers, particularly on Murree Road, Mall Road, Airport Road and other key thoroughfares of the city.

All DSPs, sector in-charges and traffic wardens have been directed to take strict action against the rules violators. The CTO also urged parents to stop their children from indulging in the life-threatening activity.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 21^st, 2018.