‘Engineering flaws in underpasses contributing to traffic problems’

Lahore CTO says under-construction projects across city also cause blockages on roads

LAHORE: Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Liaqat Ali Malik stated that engineering faults in the design of numerous underpasses in the provincial city have caused frequent traffic problems.

He expressed these views while briefing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Awareness and Protection Wing at Thokar Niaz Baig Complex on Tuesday. The meeting was chaired by NAB Lahore Director General Saleem Shahzad.

Under section 33-C of the NAB Ordinance, the bureau’s awareness and protection wing took notice of the alleged financial and management-related complaints against Lahore traffic police. A thorough briefing was presented by Lahore CTO over the numerous issues being faced by officials.

The CTO explained that they are likely to introduce an electronic system to counter the reported financial issues being faced by the department and this would help to handle the traffic.

He maintained that traffic officials have to bear the lack of cooperation of other departments concerned when it comes to a road accident. He revealed that traffic wardens have been physically attacked while on duty with 312 being beaten up on duty over the past year.

The CTO also complained of delays in under-construction projects which cause blockages at different points across Lahore. Officials have reported these many times to no avail, he said.

In 2015, the Lahore Parking Company (LPC) was introduced in the city and it failed to resolve issues being faced by the public. He also expressed that the major cause for this was the public’s disinterest in parking plazas which have been established in unsuitable places. Further, the basements of numerous commercial plazas have been turned into illegal shops which are a clear violation of rules. He lamented that the departments concerned did not pay heed to traffic management issues while issuing NOCs to new housing societies.

He added that during the past one year, traffic police submitted revenue worth Rs700 million into the government kitty. However, issues pertaining to their budget still persisted in the recent past.

The NAB DG directed that all stakeholders to summoned to explain their position on the matter. These include the municipal corporation, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA), the National Highway Authority (NHA), the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), the education department and LPC officials.

The DG advised all departments concerned to nominate their focal persons to handle emergency-related issues, collectively. He also offered NAB Lahore’s services to the traffic police to resolve the issues being faced by the department.

“Bringing about reforms in government departments is mandatory,” he said. 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2019.