No shortcuts: Don’t lose your vehicle to save time

Police to impose fines on commuters violating one-way traffic, impound cars for three days.

KARACHI: If you’re thinking of taking a shortcut by violating one-way traffic, then consider the risk of losing your vehicle for three days. In the latest attempt to curb violation of one-way traffic rules, the traffic police have decided to impose strict penalties on violators.

The Traffic DIG has issued directions to the police force to launch a special campaign against the violation of one-way rules and seize the violators’ vehicles for three days along with imposing a fine.

“We as a nation have a habit of taking shortcuts and this can be easily seen on the roads when people go the wrong way to save time and fuel while endangering their own lives as well as those of others,” said the official seeking anonymity.

“When the DIG orders to run a campaign, then all officials of the traffic zones take part with zeal and try to fine as many violators as they can to earn appreciation from the DIG.” The 10-day campaign is expected to start at the end of the upcoming week.

An officer at the Traffic DIG’s office told The Express Tribune that the traffic police was already running a special campaign against music and video players in public transportation along with substandard CNG cylinders. This will run till the end of the month and from March 1, a fresh campaign against one-way violators, tinted glasses and fancy number plates will be launched by all traffic zones.

“When we estimate from our daily reports of fines that a specific violation has increased, then the Traffic DIG orders to launch a special campaign against that violation to minimise it,” he said.

DIG Arif Hanif told The Express Tribune that one of the main reasons behind the one-way violation is the irregular cuts in the main roads which the commuters use.

“We have closed some of the illegal and unnecessary cuts, including one in Nazimabad No. 4 and at Nairang Cinema of Liaquatabad, but some cannot be removed because of engineering faults and will cause more problems if closed,” he said, adding that one such cut is at Numaish Chowrangi.

The encroachments in Kharadar and Mithadar are also making it easy for people to take the wrong way, he said. “We have discussed the issue with Karachi commissioner and the anti-encroachment team of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation is planning to launch a drive against encroachers,” he said, making it clear that the traffic police will strictly deal with the one-way violators and the drive will be started after a meeting with the commissioner on Monday.

“We are increasing our penalties to make commuters more cautious. Since a fine of Rs500 alone cannot deter the violators, we have decided to detain their vehicles for three days as well,” said Hanif.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 24^th, 2014.