Govt decides to improve traffic flow
Commuters caught in a traffic jam. Photo: Express/File
The Sindh government has decided to strictly implement a court decision regarding entry of heavy vehicle traffic into Karachi in an effort to improve traffic flow in the metropolitan city.
The decision was made in an important meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Secretary Dr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput. Commissioner Karachi Muhammad Iqbal Memon, Secretary Interior Saeed Ahmed Mangrijo, Secretary Transport Abdul Halim Shaikh and DIG Traffic Ahmed Nawaz and Motorway Police officials attended the meeting.
It was decided in the meeting to crack down on the use of vehicles with tinted glasses, illegal pressure horns, bar lights and illegal number-plates. Vehicles with fake and fancy number-plates should be impounded and their owners heavily fined.
The Chief Secretary instructed the Commissioner Karachi that a crackdown would also be started against those making illegal fancy number-plates from Thursday by imposing Section 144 in the city. He also directed the Deputy Commissioner East to remove all types of parking spaces from the service road of University Road, so that the flow of traffic could be improved.
The DIG Traffic informed the meeting that 15,704 drivers have been arrested for rules violation so far this year, while fitness certificates of 3,421 vehicles have been suspended during this time. He added that 320 FIRs have also been registered against heavy vehicles.
He further stated that the amount of challan for violation of traffic rules in other provinces is more than Sindh. He said that more than 200 charged parking permits have been issued by various organizations in the city, but the Traffic Police was never consulted while issuing these permits
The Chief Secretary said that soon the fine amount would be increased and a summary for this purpose would be sent to the Chief Minister. He directed the Commissioner Karachi to hold a meeting with authorities issuing charged parking permits, including KMC, DMC and Cantonment Boards, and find a solution to the issue.
The meeting decided that the data of challans issued by the Traffic Police would also be linked with the driving license. The initiative will make it easier to take action against the drivers violating the traffic rules. In this regard, a committee comprising Secretary Excise, Secretary IT, DIG Traffic, DIG Driving License was also formed.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 29th, 2022.