CDA asked to fix traffic signals in capital

Road Audit Report points to high flow, congestion of traffic

ISLAMABAD: The apex civic body of the federal capital has been asked to fix the traffic signals in the city in a bid to improve the flow of traffic on its various thoroughfares.

This has been suggested in a Road Audit Report which has been prepared by the Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP). The report has been sent to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to implement the recommendations contained within.

"After conducting a detailed survey of roads in the city, a road audit report has been forwarded to the CDA for practical steps on suggestions mentioned in it," an ITP official said.

He said that various traffic signals were out of order in the city and it has been requested in the report to ensure that they are repaired at the earliest.

The official said that they require CDA’s cooperation to fix various traffic-related issues including marking of zebra crossings for pedestrians, placing signboards, setting up diversions through U-turns or fish bellies and generally improving road infrastructure.

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To a question about the road survey conducted by ITP, the official said that when the force came into being in 2005, the flow of traffic was substantially lower with an estimated 200,000 vehicles plying the capital’s roads.

However, in the 14 years since, the flow of traffic has considerably increased with an estimated 1.2 million vehicles — including bikes — travelling on various thoroughfares of the city every day.

Regarding ITP's efforts to overcome traffic jams in the city, the official said that the entry of heavy traffic in the city has been banned for a cumulative of seven hours to ensure the smooth flow of traffic during peak hours.

The ban comes into effect in two stages. The first stage is during the morning rush hour from 7am to 10am, while the second is during the evening rush hour from 4pm to 8pm.

During this time, heavy traffic coming from the south of the country over the Grand Trunk (GT) Road or heading to Sabzi Mandi from the Peshawar Motorway is not allowed to enter the city limits.

Similarly, heavy traffic coming from Azad Kashmir via Murree, Bhara Kahu, Kotli Sattrayn, Lehtrar road, Kahuta or Rawalpindi Kahuta Road are also not allowed to enter the capital.

Moreover, he said that they were strictly enforcing the ban on illegal or wrong parking at the main markets of the city, including Jinnah Super, Super Market, Blue Area, Karachi Company, Aabpara, Sector F-8, F-10, F-11, G-8, G-9, G-10, G-11, 1-8, 1-9 etc.

Capital Highway Inspection Patrolling Squads (CHIPS) and Quick Response teams have been constituted to ensure smooth flow of traffic on city roads and ensuring implementation on the traffic rules.

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Through safe city cameras, he said, moving violations including crossing a red signal, over-speeding and lane violations are being monitored.

In this regard, around 2,650 tickets have been issued and delivered at home addresses of the violators.

When contacted, a senior CDA official confirmed that the ITP has proposed several measures to improve the flow of traffic in the city including zebra crossings and diversion points.

He conceded that the ITP's suggestions will help improve the flow of traffic in the city, adding that road infrastructure in the city will be improved while work on the ITP’s recommendations will start soon.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2019.